IMPROVE- MENTS IN TOBACCO-POUCHES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Burbridge, Manager at Messrs. W. Warne and Co.'s
India Rubber Works, Tottenham, Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TOBACCO-POUCHES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Burbridge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th February 1881.
JAMES BURBRIDGE, Manager at Messrs. W. Warne & Co.'s India Rubber Works,
Tottenham, Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOBACCO POUCHES."
This Invention relates to a novel construction of pouch to be used for the
reception of tobacco, fusees, and other materials used by smokers, the object being
to obtain a compact and secure receptacle for such articles.
To this end we cut from a sheet of plastic rubber compound 2 pieces of any
desired form, say semi elliptical, and of corresponding size, and place them together
back to back so as to form a foundation or stiffening piece for the pouch. If
desired, we may insert at different places between these two pieces of rubber metal
or other plates which will prevent the rubber from adhering together when pressure
is applied, and thus one, two, or more pockets will be formed in which to place
cigarette paper books or matches. On either side of this foundation piece a
similarly shaped piece of plastic rubber compound is attached by its edges, and
into the spaces between the external pieces and the foundation plate a suitable
quantity of water or other liquid is injected, the opening left for this purpose being
immediately closed up.
A cap piece of sheet rubber of suitable form is next applied to the pouch, and is
secured to the straight edge thereof by solution, which, when pressure is applied,
causes the cap piece to adhere to the body of the pouch.
Some powdered talc or other suitable material is inserted under the cap piece
to prevent it adhering to the body of the pouch, except at those parts which have
received the solution.

page_text: The formed article is now placed in the mould to be vulcanized in the usual
manner.
After vulcanization all the joins will be found firmly united together, and the
pouch will be set according to the form of the mould.
To open the pouch and let out the water it will be necessary to turn back the
cap piece and open the pockets in which the water is enclosed by running a sharp
knife along the joint at the straight end of the pouch, after which the metal or
other plates are drawn out of their pockets in the foundation piece, and the
moulded india rubber tobacco pouch, containing two pockets for tobacco and
various smaller pockets, is completed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Burbridge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th August
1881.
JAMES BURBRIDGE, Manager at Messrs. Warne & Co.'s India Rubber Works,
Tottenham, Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOBACCO POUCHES."
This Invention relates to a novel construction of pouch to be used for the
reception of tobacco, fusees, and other materials used by smokers, the object being
to obtain a compact and secure receptacle for such articles.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn my improved pouch in front view
at Fig. 1 and in cross section at Fig. 2. In manufacturing this improved pouch I
cut from a sheet of plastic rubber compound two pieces of semi-elliptical form and
corresponding size, such as that shewn in Fig. 1a, and place them back to back so as
to form a foundation or stiffening piece for the pouch.
Between these two pieces of rubber shewn in cross section at a, a', Fig. 2, I
insert one, two, or more metal or other plates to prevent the rubber pieces a, a²,
from adhering together when pressure is applied, and thus one, two, or more
pockets will be formed in the foundation or stiffening piece suitable for receiving
cigarette paper books, as shewn at Fig. 2, or matches and other materials used by
smokers. On either side of this foundation piece I attach similarly shaped
pieces b, b', of plastic rubber compound, and into the spaces between these external
pieces and the foundation plate I inject water or other suitable liquid, the opening
left for this purpose being immediately afterwards closed up.
I next apply to the pouch a cap-piece c of sheet rubber, and I secure it to the
straight edge and ends thereof by a solution of india rubber, which, when pressure
is applied, causes the cap-piece to adhere to the body of the pouch.
In order to prevent the cap-piece c adhering to the body of the pouch except at
those parts which have received the solution I insert some powdered tale or other
suitable material under the cap-piece before the pouch is vulcanized.
The article thus far manufactured I place in a mould suitably formed and
proportioned to impart to the pouch the required form during the process of
vulcanization.
During the vulcanizing operation the water or other liquid confined in the pouch
will be converted into steam which will expand and distend the rubber causing it
to completely fill the mould, and at the same time firmly unite the joinings and
give to the pouch a permanent set corresponding to the internal form of the
mould.
When the vulcanizing process is completed I turn back the cap-piece and open
the pockets in which the water is enclosed by running a sharp knife along the
joining at the straight end of the pouch and let out the water, I then run the knife
along the joinings at the part or parts where the pockets in the stiffening pieces
are formed and remove the enclosed metal or other plates. The moulded india
rubber tobacco pouch containing side pockets for tobacco and a central pocket or
pockets for the reception of cigarette-paper books, matches, and other paraphernalia
of the smoker is now complete.
At Figures 3, 4, and 5, I have shewn a modified form of cover for closing one
side of my improved pouch; Fig. 3 is a front view, and Fig. 4 a cross section of
the pouch closed, and Fig. 5 a front view of the pouch opened. In these Figures
the parts a, a, b, b¹, are similar to those already described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2, and the pockets in the foundation piece are formed in the same
manner. Instead however of employing a cap-piece c formed as shewn in those
Figures I prolong one side of the cap-piece, as seen at c', Figures 4 and 5, making

page_text: it correspond to the external form of the pouch, and to the outer edges of the flap
thus formed I attach by solution a piece c² so as to form a pocket into which the
rounded portion of the pouch can be inserted. The external form of the pouch
may be varied as may be desired without departing from my Invention.
It will be evident that instead of two side pockets for tobacco the pouch can be
made with only one, in which case the piece b¹ and the portion of the cap piece o
on that side will be dispensed with.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Tobacco Pouches,"
and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim,
The manufacture from sheet rubber of moulded tobacco pouches with side and
central pockets arranged as above described or any mere modification thereof.
•
In witness whereof, I, the said James Burbridge, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JAMES DURDRIDGE,
(L.S.)