IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER SOLES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Jefferson Mayall, of Roxbury, Massa-
chusetts, United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER SOLES
FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
chusetts, United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER SOLES
FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 5th January 1869, and dated the 7th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Jefferson
Mayall at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his.
Petition, on the 7th July 1868.
I, THOMAS JEFFERSON MAYALL, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, United
States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF INDIA-RUBBER
SOLES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the manufacture of sheets of vulcanized india-
rubber compounds for forming the soles of boots and shoes, and the
nature of the said Invention consists chiefly in the novel means for.

page_text: method of roughening the said sheets on the surface which is to form
the outside of the soles. The surface of the vulcanized sheet which is
to form the inside of the soles is temporarily covered with some woven
fabric, which is removed when the said sheets are used. The other
surface of the sheet which is to form the outside or bottom of the sole
is roughened by producing upon it a pattern or impression, such im-
pression being taken from a sheet of some fabric or substance of suitable
texture.
In practicing my Invention I take a sheet of cotton cloth or other
suitable woven fabric, and spread upon the same a layer of pure india-
rubber dissolved in naptha, camphine, or other suitable solvent; upon
this coating of pure rubber I spread the prepared india-rubber or
compound which is to form the vulcanized sheet. I prefer to use
a compound consisting of india-rubber, whiting, sulphur, litharge, or
whitelead, calcined magnesia, lampblack, and clay in the following
proportions. Four pounds of the rubber, two pounds of whiting, one
pound of sulphur, one pound of litharge, one half pound of the magnesia,
one half pound of lampblack, and two pounds of clay. This compound
is applied by means of an ordinary coating machine, such as are
commonly used in india-rubber manufacture. When the compound
has been spread to the desired thickness I pass the sheet again between
the rolls of the machine, or between other suitable rolls in contact
with a sheet of some woven fabric or other substance, the surface of
the rubber being first sprinkled with French chalk or other suitable
material to prevent the adhesion of the two materials. The said fabric
and compound are squeezed or pressed together as they pass through the
rolls, and the pattern or figure of the fabric is thereby impressed upon
the surface of the india-rubber compound. The sheet of the material
is then wound upon a receiving roller, and is left on the same till it
has been cured or vulcanized. When the compound is used with its
ingredients in the proportions above given the prepared sheet should be
exposed for about three and one half hours to a temperature of two
hundred and sixty degrees Fahrenheit. I do not, however, limit myself
to the exact proportions above named, nor to such number of hours or.
degrees of heat, as either may be varied within certain limits without
materially affecting the quality of the vulcanized sheet. The impression
cloth is then removed from the vulcanized sheet, leaving upon the latter

page_text: a pattern or impression of its surface. The cotton cloth or other fabric.
united to the vulcanized sheet by means of the pure rubber solution
protects the surface of the sheet from injury, allowing it to be folded,
or rolled, or otherwise disposed of, and keeping it in good condition
till it is used. The said cloth or fabric may then be readily stripped
from the rubber by moistening it with warm water, naptha, or camphine.
The rubber or compound sheet may then be cut into portions of thie
proper shape and size and applied by means of any suitable cement to
the leather sole of the boot or shoe.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions. of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS.
JEFFERSON MAYALL, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States of
America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-.
second year of Her, reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall, Her
special licence that I, the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall, my exe-,"
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said.
Thomas Jefferson Mayall, 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
SOLES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall, 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,

page_text: Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
My Invention relates to the manufacture of sheets of vulcanized india.
rubber compounds for forming the soles of boots and shoes, and the
nature of the said Invention consists chiefly in the novel means for
preserving the surface of the sheets till they are used, and in the peculiar
method of roughening the said sheets on the surface which is to form
the outside of the soles. The surface of the vulcanized sheet which is
to form the inside of the soles is temporarily covered with some woven
fabric which is removed when the said sheets are used. The other
surface of the sheet which is to form the outside or bottom of the sole
is roughened by producing upon it a pattern or impression, such im-
pression being taken from a sheet of some woven fabric or other
substance of suitable texture.
In practising my Invention I take a sheet of cotton cloth or other
suitable woven fabric, and spread upon the same a layer of pure india-
rubber dissolved in naptha, camphine, or other suitable solvent; upon
this coating of pure rubber I spread the prepared india-rubber or
compound which is to form the vulcanized sheet. I prefer to use
a compound consisting of india-rubber, whiting, sulphur, litharge, or
whitelead, calcined magnesia, lampblack, and clay in the following
proportions: Four pounds of the rubber, two pounds of whiting, one
pound of sulphur, one pound of litharge, one half pound of the magnesia,
one half pound of lampblack, and two pounds of clay. This compound
is applied by means of an ordinary coating machine, such as are
commonly used in india-rubber manufacture. When the compound
has been spread to the desired thickness I pass the sheet again between
the rolls of the machine or between other suitable rolls in contact with
a sheet of some woven fabric or other substance, the surface of the
rubber being first sprinkled with French chalk or other suitable material
to prevent the adhesion of the two materials. The said fabric and com-
pound are squeezed or pressed together as they pass through the rolls,
and the pattern or figure of the fabric is thereby impressed upon the
surface of the india-rubber compound. The sheet of the material is

page_text: then wound upon a receiving roller, and is left on the same till it has
been cured or vulcanized. When the compound is used with its
ingredients in the proportions above given the prepared sheet should
be exposed for about three and one half hours to a temperature of two
hundred and sixty degrees Fahrenheit. I do not, however, limit myself
to the exact proportions above named, nor to such number of hours or
degrees of heat, as either may be varied within certain limits without
materially affecting the quality of the vulcanized sheet. The impression
cloth is then removed from the vulcanized sheet, leaving upon the latter
a pattern or impression of its surface. The cotton cloth or other fabric
united to the vulcanized sheet by means of the pure rubber solution
protects the surface of the sheet from injury, allowing it to be folded, or
rolled, or otherwise disposed of, and keeping it in good condition till it
is used. The said cloth or fabric may then be readily stripped from the
rubber by moistening it with warm water, naptha, or camphine. The
rubber or compound sheet may then be cut into portions of the proper
shape and size and applied by means of any suitable cement to the
leather sole of the boot or shoe.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and shown how the
same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practise,
I claim,―
First. Applying to the surface of the prepared india-rubber or india-
rubber compound a temporary protective covering of cotton, cloth, or
other suitable fabric, for the purpose set forth.
Second. Roughening the said prepared india-rubber or compound
on the surface which is to form the outside or bottom of the sole by
producing thereon an impression from a woven fabric or other substance
of a suitable texture, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.