Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Inlaid Linoleums or Floor Cloths.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application. 10th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing
Inlaid Linoleums or Floor Cloths.
We, WALLACE GALREY THOMSON of Standard Works, Halifax in the County
of York, Manufacturer, and JAMES SAMUEL POWELL, of Rothsay, Chatsworth
Road, West Norwood, London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
:-
We construct a pattern block (preferably metallic) consisting of chambers of the
various shapes required for the pattern, the block being of any convenient size, and
divided into any number of chambers; this block is placed upon the frame or
machine carrying canvas.
We provide a top plate carrying cores corresponding to the sizes and shapes of
the block patterns; this plate is attached to or forms part of a press plate to
which is the necessary screw or other arrangement for imparting the required
pressure.
A rack at each side is attached to the outer frame of pattern block, and gears
with a rack wheel.
Upon the machine press for raising and lowering purposes, guide rods are
provided to keep it in the required position, and screws pass across the machine
and are connected to the screw press for giving a lateral movement to the block and
press when required.
Attached to a fixed top plate of the press is a short shaft having a handwheel,
and carrying at each end, bevel wheels gearing with bevel wheels, upon the rod
carrying the rack wheels or their equivalents; by this means the block pattern can
be raised the required height without disturbing the pressure or block cores.
On the top fixed plate is a shaft, square or keyed upon which is a worm wheel
gearing with a screwed shaft; this shaft is operated by suitable gear and speed
wheels from the driving end of the frame, and put the required pressure upon the
screw plate and cores.
After mixing the required ingredients in the various colors required, it then
being in a paste or plastic state, the plastic material is placed in the division
of the pattern block, this being placed over the canvas in suitable position, the
press plate carrying the cores then brought down, pressing the material onto the
canvas, the pattern block is then raised the required height so as to leave sufficient
thickness of material upon the canvas; a knife or cutter then passes under the
pattern block, and cuts off the material left protruding, the pattern block is then
moved laterally along the canvas to its position to join up to the piece previously
covered, and so on across the width of the piece, then the canvas or piece is
drawn forwards and the pattern box again placed in position to join up to the part
already covered; by this means almost any pattern can be obtained in distinctive
and clear colors.
Dated this Ninth day of March 1891
JOHN E. WALSH,
Waterhouse Chambers, Crossley Street, Halifax,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of our machine for manufacturing inlaid linoleum or
floor cloths.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is detail of modified pattern block.
We construct a pattern block A, preferably metallic, consisting of chambers of
the various shapes required for the pattern, the block being of any convenient size,
and divided into any number of chambers, this block is placed upon the frame or
machine B carrying the canvas; we provide for the pattern block A, a top plate C,
carrying cores D, corresponding to the sizes and shapes of the block patterns, this
plate C is attached to, or forms part of, a press plate E, to which is the necessary
screw F, or other arrangement for imparting the required pressure.
A screw G at each side is attached to the outer frame H of pattern block, upon
each screw is a worm wheel gearing with worm K, upon a cross shaft L, (for
raising and lowering purposes) also a screw M passes across the machine, and is
connected to the screw press by a nut M', for giving a lateral movement to the
block and pre-s when required, by means of the handle M³ on the catch boxes M.
For raising the pattern block the required height without disturbing the pressure
or block cores, we employ a shaft L, passing across the machine with catch box N,
and handle N', for operating the same; upon the said shaft L, are worms K,
gearing with worm wheels J, upon the screws G.
On the top fixed brackets (", is the shaft R, passing across the machine, and
having in its centre a worm T, gearing with a worm wheel T¹ the screw F,
gpon
this shaft R is operated by suitable gear and speed wheels S, S1 and S2. from the
driving end of the frame, and puts the required pressure upon the screw plate and
cores; there is the travelling table V (for carrying the piece or canvas) operated
by racks W, and rack wheels W¹, upon the cross shaft X, by which the table
moved backwards and forwards as desired.
Y is the canvas or piece beam.
After mixing the required ingredients in the various colours required, it then
being in a paste or plastic condition, the plastic material is placed in the division of
the pattern block, this being placed over the canvas in suitable position, the press
plate carrying the cores is then brought down pressing the material on to the
canvas, the pattern block is then raised the required height, so as to leave sufficient
thickness of material upon the canvas, a knife or cutter / consisting of a band
knife, (mounted upon pulleys Z' fixed upon screwed shafts Z2, operated by pulley
and gear wheels Z³ from the driving end of the frame) then passes under the pattern
block, and cuts off the material left protruding, after which the motion of the
screwed shafts is reversed by any ordinary reversing motion, and the knife brought
into position for the next operation, the pattern block is then moved laterally along
the canvas to its position, to join up to the piece previously covered, and so on

page_text: across the width of the piece, then the canvas or piece is drawn forwards or back-
wards by the travelling table, and the pattern box again placed in position to join
up to the part already covered; by this means almost any pattern can be
obtained in distinctive and clear colours. Or the pattern block may be filled as
follows.
To charge the pattern block with materials.
In the first place each colour of material is taken separately, and pressed into
solid square blocks the required depth and size, by means of a suitable press or
mould for that purpose, then the pattern block (which can be made in sections) is
taken and pressed into this solid compressed mass of material, thus filling itself.
Each part of the pattern block being treated in the same manner with its suitable
colour of material, until all are filled up, then they are all put together to form a
whole, and are then worked in the same manner as the previous pattern block
described.
Or the pattern block may be charged or filled in this manner; hollow dies are
made to match the various parts of pattern block and are used to cut (out of a solid
block of material) the shapes required, these are then inserted in the pattern
block until all are filled up, when the block is worked as before described.
After being moulded, cut, and pressed on canvas, and linoleum made, the cloth is
passed forward, then it is hot pressed, and hot rolled by rollers or hot-plates, to give
it a finish.
Another modification which is shown at Fig. 4 consists of a shallow pattern
block made exactly like the first one, fitted with cores or plungers both top and
bottom.
The top cores or plungers being all fixed to one plate, but the bottom cores or
plungers are so arranged by suitable mechanical means, as to be worked indepen-
dently of each other. The pattern block is arranged immediately over the bottom
set of cores, and the top set of cores or plungers are fitted above the pattern block,
so as to be dropped into the pattern block as required. Now if we are making
linoleum of two colours, take a sheet of rolled plastic material the desired thickness,
place it by hand (or suitable mechanical means) on the bottom set of cores, then
drop or place on this, the pattern block, containing the top set of cores or plungers;
the cores corresponding to the colour required are then raised, which has the effect
of pressing into the pattern block, that part of the sheet of material required to
form the pattern, the pattern block is again raised, or the pattern cores lowered,
and the waste material removed, and another sheet of plastic material is placed in
position, the pattern block is lowered on to it, and the alternate cores to correspond
with the colour are raised, which again presses the material into the pattern
block.
It will now be seen that the pattern block is filled to one thickness of linoleum,
these operations can be repeated several times, so as to retain several charges of
material, or the pattern block can be immediately passed on to the pressing machine
for placing on the canvas.
When these operations are performed, the block is carried forward to the pressing
machine, pressure is applied to the top set of cores, which has the effect of placing
upon the canvas one thickness of material, but if the pattern block contains more
than one thickness, then the block is moved laterally into position, and then another
thickness is pressed on to the canvas, and so on, until all is exhausted.
Having particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1. In the manufacture of inlaid linoleum, or other floor cloths, the use of pattern
blocks, as and for the purposes such as shown and described.
2. Moving the pattern blocks laterally, and vertically, as and for the purposes
such as shown and described.
3. Cutting the plastic material the various thicknesses required, whilst under
pressure, as shown and described,

page_text: 4. The general arrangement and construction of apparatus for manufacturing
inlaid linoleum as shown and described.
Dated this Seventh day of December 1891.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Crossley Street, Halifax, Agent for the Applicants.