Im- PROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF INDIA-RUBBER
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Alonzo Woodcock, of Chorlton-cum-
Hardy, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF INDIA-RUBBER,”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Alonzo
Woodcock at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 26th March 1873.
•
I, FREDERICK ALONZO WOODCOCK, of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF INDIA-RUBBER," to be as
follows:-
In the preparation of india-rubber for spreading or rolling into sheets
or films the desirability of obtaining it not simply softened to any
consistence by the action of a solvent but also free from hard granular
particles led to the india-rubber in its cleansed state being submitted to
the successive processes of drying, masticating, and crushing in order to
render it uniform.

page_text: Any one practically familiar with the manipulation of india-rubber is
aware that it offers great resistance to all mechanical force, whether it
be in the direction of compression or extension, consequently the
machinery required for the above-named processes is expensive in first
cost, in motive power, and attendance.
It is also well know that india-rubber suffers under the treatment
already referred to, that it cannot be so treated without diminishing to
a greater or less extent those latent qualities which render it so important
in manufactures.
I
In my improvements I take the india-rubber in its cleaned state and 1
prepare therefrom dough or paste of any desired consistence, dispensing
with the preparatory processes of drying, masticating, and crushing.
allow the sheets of cleaned india-rubber in the state in which they leave
the cleaning rollers to absorb in any convenient manner any suitable
solvent as coal tar naptha, a less quantity being required than is usually ]
employed. During the absorption of the solvent or other convenient
time, sulphur, metallic oxides, sulphurets of metals or other substances
as desired may be added. I now take the saturated india-rubber or
compounds of india-rubber, and place it in a machine which I call a
digester." This machine is adapted to assist the action of the solvent
on the mass, and to reduce the more obdurate particles, preventing loss
of solvent by evaporation during the process. By this machine the
preparation of the dough is completed, being uniformly plastic, fit for
either the well-known spreading machine or the calender.
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The digester may be described as a closed cylinder, access to the
interior being by a moveable lid or cover. A. piston is provided pierced
by numerous passages, such passages resembling a double cone or other
figure through which on the piston traversing the cylinder the saturated
contents are squeezed. The motion of the piston will be slow at the
first, increasing towards the completion of the operation.
I prefer that the piston rod be connected with a hydraulic ram, and

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Alonzo Woodcock in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 25th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
ALONZO WOODCOCK, of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, in the County of Lan-
caster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Frederick Alonzo Woodcock, Her special license
that I, the said Frederick Alonzo Woodcock, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick Alonzo Woodcock,
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 "IM
PROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF INDIA-RUBBER," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Alonzo Woodcock, 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 månner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Alonzo Woodcock, 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 (that is to say) :-
In the preparation of india-rubber for spreading or rolling into sheets
or films the desirability of obtaining it not simply softened to any con-
sistence by the action of a solvent but also free from hard granular
particles led to the india-rubber in its cleaned state being submitted to
the successive processes of drying, masticating, and crushing in order
to render it uniform.

page_text: Any one practically familiar with the manipulation of india-rubber is
aware that it offers great resistance to all mechanical force, whether it
be in the direction of compression or extension, consequently the
machinery required for the above-named processes is expensive in first
cost, in motive power, and attendance.
It is also well known that india-rubber suffers under the treatment
already referred to, that it cannot be so treated without diminishing to a
greater or less extent those latent qualities which render it so important
in manufactures.
In my improvements I take the india-rubber in its cleaned state and
prepare therefrom dough or paste of any desired consistence, dispensing
with the preparatory processes of drying, masticating, and crushing, and
also with the finishing dough machine commonly used. I allow the
sheets of cleaned india-rubber in the state in which they leave the
cleaning rollers to absorb in any convenient manner any suitable
solvent, as coal tar naphtha, a less quantity being required than is usually
employed. During the absorption of the solvent or other convenient
time, sulphur, metallic oxides, sulphurets of metals, or other substances
as desired may be added. I now take the saturated india-rubber or
compounds of india-rubber and place it in a machine which I call a
"digester." This machine is adapted to assist the action of the solvent
on the mass, and to reduce the more obdurate particles preventing loss
of solvent by evaporation during the process. By this machine the
preparation of the dough is completed, being uniformly plastic, fit for
either the well-known spreading machine or the calendar.
The digester may be described as a closed cylinder, access to the
interior being by a moveable lid or cover. A piston is provided pierced
by numerous passages, such passages resembling a double cone or other
figure through which, on the piston traversing the cylinder, the saturated
_contents are squeezed. The motion of the piston will be slow at the
first, increasing towards the completion of the operation.
I prefer that the piston rod be connected with a hydraulic ram, and
the machine worked by hydraulic pressure.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I do not confine myself to the details herein-
before mentioned, but what I claim is,―

page_text: The improved methods of treatment of india-rubber or compounds of
india-rubber required in a plastic state for any purpose whatsoever, and
the dispensing with the preparatory drying, masticating, and crushing
processes.
Also with the finishing dough machines commonly used, by the
use of a closed machine provided with a perforated piston as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Alonzo Woodcock, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of Sep-
tember, in the year our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-three.
FREDERICK ALONZO WOODCOCK. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by
the before named
Frederick Alonzo Woodcock
in the presence of
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.