Improvements in Means or Apparatus for use in the Manufacture of Inlaid Linoleum.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left. 12th Nov.. 1898-Accepted. 23rd Dec.. 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for use in the Manufacture
of Inlaid Linoleum.
I, CHARLES HERBERT SCOTT, of High Orchard Iron Works, Gloucester, in the
County of Gloucester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of inlaid linoleum it has heretofore been common to use
stencil plates formed of plain sheet metal formed with large perforations the
shape of which depends upon that of the pattern to be produced and through
which linoleum material is forced on to a backing by correspondingly_shape:
plungers. Such stencil plates and plungers are costly to construct and more-
over one set of them is suitable only for producing one pattern, so that for pro-
ducing several patterns a corresponding number of sets of stencil plates and
plungers are necessary.
Now this invention has for object to obviate the foregoing disadvantages and
to provide a single set of stencil plates and plungers that can be readily adapted
for producing an infinite variety of patterns.
For this purpose the stencil plates are each made of perforated or reticulated
sheet material the perforations in which are made of small and uniform size, say
of circular shape, and of ½ or 316 of an inch in diameter, and in conjunction
with such a plate there are provided a number of vertically moveable plungers
the diameters of which correspond to that of the holes in the plate and which
are held in a correspondingly perforated plate and are depressed by a vertically
moveable pressure block.
The holes in the stencil plate not required for the particular pattern to be pro-
duced, may be stopped in any suitable manner, as by a sheet of perforated paper
or other material the outline of the perforation or perforations in which corre
sponds or correspond to the outline of the part of the pattern to be produced by
the stencil, and the corresponding set of plungers are so placed in the top plate
as to correspond with the un-stopped holes. Linoleum in the form of granulated
material, or in the form of sheet material, is placed over the stencil plate by
suitable means and the plungers caused to descend and force the linoleum oven
the holes through the same on to a suitable backing which is caused to move in
an intermittent manner below the plates, these operations being repeated as
often as may be necessary for the pattern being produced. In this way the back-
ing is more or less covered with a number of small cylinders or blocks of linoleumr
which are afterwards pressed or rolled, and thus made to completely cover the
backing. Instead of stopping the hole not required for the pattern being pro-
duced by paper, or other material, they may be stopped by wax or similar sub-
stance. The holes in the stencil plates should be made as small as practicable
so that as little as possible of the granulated linoleum mixture, when such mixture
is used, will fall through the same before the descent of the plungers. The
holes may be made so small that the material mentioned will not fall unaided

page_text: through them. In this case the holes not required for any particular pattern
need not be stopped, the plungers only being properly arranged to suit the pattern
to be produced. A perforated plate is or may be fitted to slide on the plungers
for the purpose of removing any linoleum mixture which may adhere between
them. This plate may be caused to descend and press lightly on the surface of
the loose material before the punches do so.
In order to obviate the necessity of re-arranging the plungers in their per-
forated supporting plates according to the pattern to be produced, the said
plungers may be so supported, as by springs arranged between their heads and
the supporting plate through which they extend, that only those plungers whose
heads are acted upon by a suitably shaped block (hereinafter called a pattern
block) attached to the underside of the pressure block will be depressed when the
pressure and pattern block are depressed. The pattern blocks correspond in plan
with the particular part of the pattern to be produced and may be slid into
position on the bottom of the pressure block. By providing a number of such
pattern blocks and inserting them successively into position to be acted upon the
respective pressure blocks, patterns of considerable length and variety can be
readily produced. Such pattern blocks may be connected' and arranged to be
fed forward after the manner of Jacquard cards the action of which they more or
less imitate.
As will be obvious my invention can be used in linoleum making machines
which in other respects may be variously constructed.
In one arrangement each of the finely perforated stencil plates, made as thin
as practicable and stiffened at the edges, is provided with a tiering box which is
arranged to travel forwards and backwards over the surface of the plate and has
its rear edge adapted to be raised and lowered so as to vary according to require-
ment, the rate of flow of linoleum mixture from the box and consequently the
depth of the layer of such mixture deposited on the plate during the forward
motion of the box. Below the several stencil plates the backing is caused to
move in a step by step manner by an endless conveyor, and each time it comes
to rest, the tiering box of each stencil plate is caused to move in one direction;
say the forward direction, and deposit all over the latter a layer of linoleum
mixture of suitable thickness. When the box has arrived at the end of its for-
ward movement, the corresponding pressure and pattern blocks descend and
cause the corresponding plungers to compress the linoleum mixture which is
over the perforations in the stencil plate onto the backing until the level of such
material practically coincides with the lower surface of the plate whereupon the
stencil plate is slightly raised by suitable means, for example cams, after which
the pressure blocks and plungers are again raised. The backing with the com-
pressed pieces of linoleum thereon is then moved forward a suitable distance and
the above described operations repeated.
It will be evident that the thickness of the linoleum applied to the backing is
regulated by the depth of the layers of linoleum mixture, tiered onto the stencil
plates, and not by the thickness of the stencil plates.
To make linoleum of a greater thickness than would be made when proceeding
in the manner just described, each stencil plate, after the corresponding pressure
block and plungers have made their downward stroke and before they are again
raised, may be lifted slightly so that when the plungers rise the holes in the plate
will on the return movement of the tiering box, be able to receive the further
quantity of linoleum mixture necessary to produce the extra thickness of linoleum
required.
The pressure blocks with stencil plates herein before described are preferably
arranged at a distance apart equal to three or more times the width of the pattern,
or part thereof, to be produced by each block and plate. Each block and plate
can be raised and lowered by any convenient means. According to one con-
struction each block is connected to and operated by a transverse beam which
is arranged below the stationary table and upper part of the conveyor carrying

page_text: the backing and is moved up and down by cams driven by two longitudinal
shafts. The connection between the blocks and the beams or cams may be such,
as by pivotted arms or links, that any one of the blocks can be put out of action
whilst the machine continues in motion. The vertical movement of the stencil
plates may conveniently be also effected by caans.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for use in the Manufacture
of Inlaid Linoleum.
I, CHARLES HERBERT SCOTT, of High Orchard Iron Works, Gloucester, in the
County of Gloucester, Engineer, 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: —
In the manufacture of inlaid linoleum it has heretofore been usual to employ
stencil plates formed of plain sheet metal formed with large perforations the
shape of which depends upon that of the pattern to be produced and through
which linoleum material is forced on to a backing by correspondingly_shaped
plungers. Such stencil plates and plungers are costly to construct and more-
over one set of them is suitable only for producing one pattern, so that for pro-
ducing several patterns a corresponding number of sets of stencil plates and
plungers are necessary.
Now this invention has for object to obviate the foregoing disadvantages and
to provide a single set of stencil plates and plungers that can be readily adapted
for producing an infinite variety of patterns as I shall now describe with reference
to the accompanying illustrative drawings wherein Fig. 1 shows in vertical
section a portion of a stencil plate with plungers, pressure block, and adjacent
parts according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 showing a
modified arrangement. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show respectively in side elevation,
plan, and cross section on the line of Fig. 3, part of one construction of
machine suitable for carrying out my invention. Fig. 6 is a part longitudinal
section corresponding to the line y y of Fig. 5 but to a larger scale. Fig. 7 is a
part plan of the stencil plate shown in Fig 6. Fig. 8 is a part side elevation,
Fig. 9 a part plan, and Fig. 10 a detail view, illustrating a modified arrangement.
According to this invention, each stencil plate 1 (see Fig. 1) is made of per-
forated or reticulated sheet material the perforations in which are made of small.
and uniform size, say of circular shape and of about ½ or 316 of an inch in.
diameter, and in conjunction with such a plate there are provided a number of
vertically movable plungers 2 the diameters of which correspond to that of the
holes in the plate, the said plungers being held in a correspondingly perforated
vertically movable plate 3 and depressed at the required times by a vertically
movable pressure block 4.
The holes in the stencil plate 1 not required for the particular pattern to be
produced, may be stopped in any suitable manner, as by a sheet 1* (Fig. 7) of
perforated paper or other material the outline of the perforation or perforations
in which corresponds or correspond to the outline of the part of the pattern to be

page_text: produced by the stencil, and the corresponding set of plungers 2 are so placed
in the top plate 3 as to correspond with the un-stopped holes. Linoleum 5 in
the form of granulated material, or in the form of sheet material, is placed over
the stencil plate 1 by suitable means, and the plungers 2 are caused to descend
and force the linoleum that is over the holes through the same on to a suitable
backing which is caused to move in an intermittent manner below the stencil
plate 1, these operations being repeated as often as may be necessary for the
pattern being produced. In this way the backing is more or less covered with a
number of small cylinders or blocks of linoleum which are afterwards pressed
or rolled and thus made to completely cover the backing.
Instead of stopping the holes not required for the pattern being produced, by
paper, or other material, they may be stopped by wax or similar substance. The
holes in each stencil plate should be made as small as practicable so that as little
as possible of the granulated linoleum mixture 5, when such mixture is used, will
fall through the same before the descent of the plungers 2. The holes may be
made so small that the material mentioned will not fall unaided through them.
In this case the holes not required for any particular pattern need not be stopped,
the plungers only being properly arranged to suit the pattern to be produced. A
perforated plate 7 is or may be fitted to slide on or relatively to the plungers 2 for
the purpose of removing any linoleum mixture that may adhere between them.
This plate may be fixed, or be caused to descend and press lightly on the surface
of the loose material 5 before the plungers do so.
In order to obviate the necessity of re-arranging the plungers 2 in their per-
forated supporting plates 3 according to the pattern to be produced, the said
plungers may, as shown in Fig. 2, be so supported, as by springs 8 arranged
between their heads 2" and the supporting plate through which they extend
and which in this case is stationary, that only those plungers whose heads are
acted upon by a suitably shaped block 9 (hereinafter called a pattern block)
attached to the underside of the pressure block 4, will be depressed when the
pressure and pattern blocks are depressed. The pattern blocks 9 will correspond
in plan with the particular part of the pattern to be produced, and may be slid
into position on the bottom of the corresponding pressure block 4. By providing
a number of such pattern blocks and inserting them successively into position to
be acted upon by the respective pressure blocks, patterns of considerable length
and variety can be readily and cheaply produced. Such pattern blocks can be
connected and arranged to be fed forward after the manner of Jacquard cards the
action of which they more or less imitate.
As will be obvious my invention can be used in linoleum making machines
which in other respects may be variously constructed.
In the machine shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, each of the stencil plates 1,
made as thin as practicable and stiffened at the edges, as by being secured to a
frame 1, (see Fig. 6), is provided with a tiering box 10 which is arranged to
travel forwards and backwards over the surface of the plate and has its rear
side 10" vertically adjustable in order to vary, according to requirement, the rate
of flow of linoleum mixture 5 from the box through the slit 10b and consequently
the depth of the layer of such mixture deposited on the plate 1 during the for-
ward motion of the box. The linoleum mixture may be fed by a feeding
device 10% and shoot 10 into each tiering box when the same is in its rearward
position. Above each stencil plate is a vertically movable pressure block 4 and
a series of plungers 2 adapted to fit the perforations in the stencil plate 1. Below
the several stencil plates the backing 6 is caused to move in a step by step manner
by an endless conveyor such as that described in the Specification of another
application for Letters Patent filed by me No. 978 of 1898. Each time the back-
ing comes to rest, the tiering box 10 of each stencil plate 1 is caused to move in
one direction, say the forward direction, shown by the arrow a in Fig. 6, and
deposit all over the said plate a layer of linoleum mixture of suitable thickness.
When the box has arrived at the end of its forward movement, the corresponding

page_text: pressure block 4 is caused to descend and cause the corresponding plungers 2
to compress the linoleum mixture which is over the corresponding!
perforations in the stencil plate 1 onto the backing 6 until the level of such
material practically coincides with the lower surface of the stencil plate 1, where-
upon the said stencil plate is slightly raised by suitable means, after which the
pressure block and plungers are again raised and the tiering box returned to its
starting position. In some cases the plungers may first compress the linoleum
through the perforations to the level of the upper surface of the stencil plate,
then rise, after which the box is returned to its starting position, so that during
the return movement of the box, loose linoleum mixture on the plate will be
caused to re-enter the box through the slit 10 at its lower rear end, and also to
enter and completely fill any perforations, or parts thereof, in the stencil plate I
which may not be already filled. The pressure block 4 and plungers 2 are then
caused to again descend and further compress the material in the perforations
of the stencil plate until the level of such material practically coincides with the
lower surface of the said plate, whereupon the stencil plate is slightly raised, as
before, after which the pressure block 4 and plungers 2 are again raised. The
backing 6 with the compressed pieces of linoleum thereon, is, in either case, then
moved forward a suitable distance, the stencil plate lowered, and the above
described operations repeated.
Each block 4 with plungers 2 (Fig. 1) can be raised and lowered by any con-
venient means.
In the example shown, each block is carried by a cross piece 4"
the ends of which are arranged to work vertically in guide-ways in standards 11;
and are carried by springs 12 which tend to raise and hold the block with
plungers in the raised position. Each block is moved downward against the
action of its springs 12 by a transverse beam 13 which is arranged below the sta-
tionary table 4 and is moved downward against the action of springs 14 by cams 15
arranged to be rotated by two longitudinal shafts 16 and to act against anti-
friction rollers 13" on the beam 13. The connection between the blocks 4 and
cross pieces 4" and the means for depressing them, may be such that any one of
the blocks can be put out of action whilst the machine continues in motion.
For this purpose each block 4, through its cross piece 4", may be connected to
the corresponding beam 13 below it by a pair of rods 17 so that the block and
beam rise and fall together, and the cams 15 are feathered to the shafts 16 so
that they will rotate therewith but are capable of being moved endways thereon
by forked levers 18 which engage grooved bosses 15" on the cams and are fixed on
a rock shaft 19 provided with a hand lever 19", the arrangement being such that
by operating the hand lever in one direction or the other, the pair of cams can be
brought over or moved from above the beam 13 according as it is desired to put
the corresponding block in or out of operation. The cams 15 are each formed
with one or two projecting or operative parts, two are shown in Fig. 5, so that
they will act to depress the pressure block and plungers once or twice, as may
be desired, for each rotation of the shafts 16, as and for the purposes herein before
explained. The said shafts may be driven through worm gearing 20 from a
transverse driving shaft 21.
In the example shown, the tiering boxes 10 are moved backwards and forwards
over their respective stencil plates by longitudinal tiering bars 22 to which
they are attached and which are caused to move to and fro on the framing A of
the machine by a pair of lever arms 23 that are connected to the said bars by:
links 24 and are fixed to a rock shaft 25 which extends from one side of the
machine and is rocked at the required times by suitable means, such as cams,
located within a casing 26. Each tiering box 10 is arranged to travel on the
sides of the frame 1ª of the corresponding stencil plate 1, and a lateral to and fro
jigging motion may be imparted to it in the manner and for the purpose ex-
plained in my said other specification. The tiering bars 22 may be connected
to any suitable arrangement of energy accumulator that will serve to cushion;
them and their attached parts at each end of their strokes, and, by then giving

page_text: out energy, facilitate their movement in the reverse direction. Suitable means
for this purpose are described in the Specification of another application for
Letters Patent filed by me No. 1214 of 1898.
The vertical movement of each stencil plate 1 may conveniently be effected at
the required times by cams 27 fixed on the shafts 16 and arranged to act upon the
long arms 28 of bell crank levers pivoted at 28, so as to raise the short arms 28
of such levers, and, through vertically adjustable screws 29, to slightly raise the
stencil plate and hold the same raised until the pressure block with plungers has
been again raised and the backing with pieces of linoleum thereon has been
fed forward another step when it is allowed to fall back onto the table of the
machine. The height to which the stencil plate is lifted can be varied by adjust-
ing the screws 29 vertically.
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show means whereby any one of a number of pattern;
plates 9 with pattern blocks 9 thereon such as herein before referred to in con-
nection with Fig. 2, can be slid into position beneath a pressure block 4. In this
case the several pattern plates are supported horizontally one above the other by
and between a pair of lateral supports 30 that are arranged to be moved down-
ward between guides 31 by stepped cams 32 acting through connecting rods 33,
and levers 34 and to be raised by the action of springs 35 or their equivalent,
The pattern plates 9ª are each slid endways into a box 4* constituting the corre-
sponding pressure block by a pair of side bars 36 which are attached to the
adjacent tiering bars 22 and each of which is provided at its upper end with a
pair of lugs 36 (see Fig. 10) which are arranged to engage with a. projection 9b
extending laterally from the lower surface of the corresponding side of each
pattern plate 9 when the same is brought into a horizontal line with them but
which will not interfere with the vertical movements of the plates.
Each pattern plate 9ª is slid into the corresponding box 4* at a sufficient height
to clear the heads 2" of the plungers 2 which are normally held in their raised
positions by a spring surrounding each of them, and are prevented from rising
too high by a pin passing through each of them below the plate 3, as shown in
Fig. 2. The arrangement is such that when the cross piece 4" descends it will
move the box 4 with perforated plates 3 and 7, plungers 2 and pattern plate
downward onto the linoleum on the stencil plate, the plungers that are under
the pattern block then descending further and forcing the linoleum under them
through the perforations in the stencil plates, whilst the plungers 2 that are not
under pattern blocks are arrested by the linoleum, the heads of such plungers
idly entering the spaces 9° between the blocks 9".
it will be evident from the foregoing description the the thickness of the
linoleum applied to the backing is regulated by the depth of the layers of lino-
leum mixture tiered onto the stencil plates, or the thickness of the sheets of
linoleum fed over the same, and not by the thickness of the stencil plates.
To make linoleum of a greater thickness than would be made when proceeding
in the manner herein before described, each stencil plate, after the corresponding
pressure block 4 and plungers 2 have made their first stroke and before they are
again raised, may be lifted slightly s
so that when the plungers afterwards rise,
the holes in the plate will, on the return movement of the tiering box be able
to receive the further quantity of linoleum mixture necessary to produce the
extra thickness of linoleum required, the additional quantity of linoleum being
afterwards pressed through the stencil plate by the plungers until level with the
underside thereof as before. The said raising of the stencil plate may be effected
by cams 27 in the manner and through the means herein before described, the said
cams being however each formed with two operating parts of different eccentri-
city, so that they will act to lift the stencil plate in two successive steps for each
rotation of the shafts 16. Additional pairs of cams 15ª are also provided for
depressing the pressure blocks with plungers to the desired lesser extent. Each
cam 15 may be connected to the corresponding cam 15 so that either cam can be
brought into position over the corresponding beam 13 to suit requirement.

page_text: As will be obvious, perforated plates and plungers adapted to act in the manner
and for the purpose herein set forth can be arranged and operated in various
ways, other than I have described. I therefore do not confine myself to the
examples shown in the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In apparatus for the manufacture of inlaid linoleum by forcing linoleum
through perforated plates by means of plungers onto a backing below, construct-
ing each of the plates of perforated sheet material the perforations in which are
made of small and uniform size and close together and providing in conjunction
with such a plate a number of vertically movable plungers adapted to fit the
perforations in the plate, the arrangement being such that a single set of stenci!
plates and plungers can be readily adapted for producing a great variety of
patterns, substantially as described.
2. In linoleum making apparatus the combination with perforated plates and
sets of plungers of the kind specified in the preceding claim, of means for stopping
the holes in the plates not required for the particular pattern to be produced, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In linoleum making apparatus the combination with perforated plates and
plungers of the kind specified in Claim 1, of pattern blocks corresponding in
shape to the particular part of the pattern to be produced and whereby only those
plungers of a set of plungers whose heads or upper ends are below the pattern
blocks will be depressed when the said blocks are depressed, substantially as
described.
4. Providing apparatus of the kind specified in the preceding claim with a
number of pattern blocks of the kind herein referred to adapted to be brought
successively into position for use so that patterns of considerable length and
variety can be readily produced with one set of perforated plates and plungers,
substantially as described.
5. In linoleum making apparatus of the kind herein referred to, the com-
bination with each of a number of perforated tiering plates of the kind herein
specified, of a correspondingly perforated guide plate, plungers extending through
the holes in the latter plate or some of them and supported therein by springs, a
pressure block adapted to force the plungers, or some of them, according to the
pattern to be produced, through perforations in the tiering plate, and means for
raising and lowering the pressure block, all substantially as herein described for
the purpose specified.
6. Apparatus for making inlaid linoleum constructed arranged and operating
substantially as herein before described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to
7 inclusive, or modified according to Figs. 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings annexed.
Dad thin 10th dove of November 1898.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.