Improvements in and in the Manufacture of Oil Baizes, American Leather Cloth, and other Waterproof Fabrics.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in the Manufacture of Oil Baizes, American
Leather Cloth, and other Waterproof Fabrics.
I FRANK REDDAWAY of Cheltenham Street, Pendleton, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer of Machine Belting, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the class of fabrics which includes oil or table baizes and
American leather cloth that is to say to the goods which have foundatious of woven
fabrics which are treated with drying oil compounds so as to become waterproof
and in many cases are ornamented with printed patterns and in some cases are
prepared to resemble leather. My invention is also applicable in part in the
manufacture of cart and railway waggon sheets rick covers and other waterproof
fabrics.
The objects of my invention are to obtain a more flexible fabric having its coating
or coatings more firmly united with the foundation and not so liable to crack or
become detached and in the cases of printed fabrics to obtain greater durability and
improved or varied effects. In the cases of printed goods I select cloths which
have already been printed in a suitable manner or I print the required designs upon
the woven fabric before the treatment with the proofing compounds. As the
subsequent treatment fixes the colours it is not necessary that the colours shall be
fast in the ordinary acceptation of the term. In the subsequent treatment I employ
preparations which will not prevent the pattern from showing through the coatings.
By using preparations more or less translucent or tinted the colours of the woven
fabric may be toned down and the effect may be modified as may be desired. I
may treat woven fabrics which have been dyed or padded.or which have had
patterns produced by discharge or by any ordinary or suitable means.
Preparatory to the ordinary treatment with drying preparations I treat the
fabric whether it be plain or printed or dyed as aforesaid with a liquid or with a'
substance or compound which will be of a stable character not having hardening.
or drying properties and which will promote the union of the drying or proofing:
preparations with the woven fabric. The materials I have found to be suitable are
rock or earth oils or the "foots" or residues of such oils and compounds of such
oils with earth wax but other materials possessing the said properties may be found
to have the desired effect such for example as shale oils or residues or some
descriptions of paraffin oils or compounds of paraffin oil and paraffin or bees wax
or vegetable wax, or tallow, or other similar matter, vaseline or glycerine. Other
oleagenous or greasy matter or compounds of such matter with gum resins may
have a good effect. The subsequent treatment may be of an ordinary character
but I prefer to use compounds composed wholly or partly of linseed or other
suitable drying oil and caoutchouc or vulcanised rubber. For the purposes of this.
part of my invention I can utilise rubber waste that is to say old vulcanised rubber,
such as old valves and washers and articles which have served their original
purpose. Such materials will not dissolve in the oil without the addition of a
solvent. I have discovered that some essential oils have the property of effecting
the solution of the rubber. For this purpose I have found oil of lavender to be
suitable.
A small proportion of this oil added.to the drying oil causes the solution of the
rubber when the oil is heated.
I do not confine myself to the use of this solvent.
When the solution is allowed to stand the sulphur and other matters which have
mnaratively clear solution which

page_text: I use in the manufacture of finer, or of printed goods. In the cases of black or dark
coloured goods the solution may be used without allowing the impurities to settle.
After the supernatant solution. has been drawn off the sedimentary solution can be
used in the manufacture of coarser fabrics or in the earlier stages of the treatment
of fabrics or in the treatment of the backs of fabrics.
The solution is applied in one two or more successive coats according to the
nature of the fabric and to the amount of covering required each successive coat
being dried and rubbed down or smoothed. Lamp black or suitable colouring
matters may be added to the solution for some classes of goods. If a brilliant
surface be desired I finish with a thin coat of copal varnish or of a suitable varnish..
Dated this 19th day of December 1891.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in the Manufacture of Oil Baizes, American
Leather Cloth, and other Waterproof Fabrics.
I FRANK REDDAWAY of Cheltenham Street, Pendleton, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer of Machine Belting, 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 that is to say :-
My invention relates to the class of fabrics which includes oil or table baizes and
American leather cloth, that is to say to the goods which have foundations of woven
fabrics treated with drying oil compounds so as to become waterproof and in many
cases are ornamented with printed patterns and in some cases are prepared to
resemble leather. My invention is also applicable in part to the manufacture of
cart and railway waggon sheets, rick covers, and other waterproof fabrics.
The objects of my invention are to obtain a more flexible fabric having its coating
or coatings more firmly united with the foundation and not so liable to crack or
become detached and in the cases of printed fabrics to obtain greater durability
and improved or varied effects. In the cases of printed goods I select cloths which
have already been printed in a suitable manner or I print the required designs
upon the woven fabric before the treatment with the proofing compounds. As the
subsequent treatment fixes the colours it is not necessary that the colours shall be
fast in the ordinary acceptation of the term. In the subsequent treatment I employ
preparations which will not prevent the pattern from showing through the coatings.
By using preparations more or less translucent or tinted the colours of the woven
fabric may be toned down and the effect may be modified as may be desired. I
may treat woven fabrics which have been dyed or "padded" or which have had
patterns produced by discharge or by any ordinary or suitable means.
Preparatory to the ordinary treatment with drying preparations I treat the
fabric whether it be plain or printed or dyed as aforesaid with a liquid or with a
substance or compound which will be of a stable character not having hardening or
drying properties and which will promote the union of the drying or proofing
preparations with the woven fabric. The materials I have found to be suitable
are petroleum or naptha refuse or rock or earth oils or the "foots" or residues
of such oils and compounds of such oils with earth wax but other materials possess-
ing the said properties may be found to have the desired effect such for example as
shale oils or residues or some descriptions of paraffin oils or compounds of paraffin
oil and paraffin or bees wax or vegetable wax or other similar matter, vaseline or
glycerine. A preparation which, in practice I have found useful and effective
consists of about equal parts of petroleum refuse and earth wax.
The fabric to be
treated in accordance with my invention is first saturated or coated with this
preparation or compound of petroleum refuse and earth wax which constitutes a
non-drying ground-work to receive the additional coat or coats of drying materials,.

page_text: the non-drying foundation preserving the flexibility of the fabric and preventing
all cracking or breaking of the coats. The subsequent treatment may be of an
ordinary character but I prefer to use compounds composed wholly or partly of
linseed or other suitable drying oil and caoutchouc or vulcanised rubber.
For the purposes of this part of my invention I can utilise rubber waste that is:
to say old vulcanised rubber such as old valves and washers and articles which have.
served their original purpose. Such materials will not easily dissolve in the oil
without the addition of a solvent. I have discovered that certain essential oils
have the property of effecting or expediting the solution of the rubber and for this:
purpose I have found oil of lavender to be most suitable. A small proportion of
this oil added to the drying oil in the proportion of about 10 per cent. causes the speedy
solution of the rubber when the oil is heated. I do not however confine myself to
the use of oil of lavender. as a solvent and as a matter of fact I have found in
practice that the use of such solvent or solvents although of great assistance in
expediting the solution of the rubber is not absolutely essential, as the rubber will-
become dissolved by long continued boiling in the oil.
When the said rubber solution is allowed to stand, the sulphur and other matters
which have been mixed with the caoutchouc are precipitated leaving a comparatively
clear solution which I use in the manufacture of finer or of printed goods. When
printed fabrics have been treated first with the non-drying preparation and then with
the clear and transparent solution the printed design shows through the coating
with a delicacy and softness of effect unattainable under the old process of
printing the design upon the surface of the coating or coatings applied to the
fabric. The back of the fabric is preferably coated with the residuary part of
the rubber solution, any desired tint being given to this back coating by the
addition of colour to the solution. Preferably I make the solution white or grey
in tint as I find that such a backing best throws up the design upon the transparently
coated side of the fabric. In the cases of black or dark coloured goods the solution
may be used without allowing the impurities to settle, the solutions in such cases
being opaque as distinguished from the so-termed transparent solution.
After the supernatant clear solution has been drawn off, the sedimentary solution
can be used either in coating the backs of fabrics as described or in the manufacture
of coarser fabrics, such as cart and waggon sheets, rick covers and other waterproof
goods or in the earlier stages of the treatment of fabrics.
In making such articles as waggon sheets and similar waterproof goods the fabric
is first saturated with the aforesaid non-drying preparation or compound of petroleum
refuse and earth wax and then the residuary or coarser solution is applied in one,
two or more successive coats according to the nature of the fabric and to the amount
of covering required each successive coat being dried and rubbed down or smoothed
if a superior finish be desired. Lamp black or suitable colouring matters may be
added to the solution for some classes of goods. If a brilliant surface be desired.
I finish with a thin coat of copal varnish or of a suitable varnish.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1.) The improved manufacture of oil baizes, American leather cloth and other
waterproof goods and fabrics of the indicated nature substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown.
2.) In the manufacture of the indicated classes of goods saturating or coating the
woven fabric whether carrying designs or dyed or plain with a non-drying pre-
paration or compound consisting of petroleum or naptha refuse or other rock or
earth oils or the residues or compounds of such oils mixed with a proportion of
earth wax or bees or vegetable wax and thereafter treating the fabric with drying
preparations either transparent or opaque substantially as hereinbefore described.
3.) In the manufacture of the indicated classes of goods saturating or coating the
woven fabric whether printed with designs or dyed or plain with a non-drying

page_text: preparation or compound consisting of petroleum or naptha refuse or other rock or:
earth oils or the residues or compounds of such oils mixed with a proportion of
earth wax or bees or vegetable wax and thereafter treating the fabric with drying
preparations either transparent or opaque obtained by dissolving rubber or rubber
waste in linseed or other suitable drying oil either with the assistance of oil of
lavender as a solvent or simply by long continued boiling of the rubber with the oil
in the manner and substantially as described.
4.) In the manufacture of coloured or figured waterproof goods of the indicated
nature printing the desired pattern upon the cloth or otherwise producing the.
desired coloured or figured effect upon the cloth treating such cloth with non-
drying matter as herein set forth and subsequently treating the cloth with suitably
transparent drying oils or preparations which will not obscure the colour or the
design on the foundation cloth substantially as set forth.
5.) The drying compound or preparation for application to goods of the indicated
nature the said drying preparation consisting of a solution obtained by dissolving
rubber or rubber waste in linseed or other suitable drying oil or compound with'
the assistance of oil of lavender as a solvent substantially as hereinbefore described
Dated this 9th day of September 1892.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.