Improvements in the Manufacture of Inlaid Linoleum and the like, and Apparatus connected therewith.
Year: 1894

page_text: - Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Sept., 1895--Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Inlaid Linoleum and the like,
and Apparatus connected therewith.
I, DAVID ESPLIN. THOMSON, of Gillespie Street Works, Gilmore Place,
Edinburgh, in the County of Midlothian, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a machine for cutting out and building
patterns from substances, such as linoleum, which can be formed into sheets. The
machine may be arranged to make the complete sheet by combination of a primary
perforated sheet, and insertion therein of pieces of various forms and colours; or
otherwise by dispensing with the perforated primary sheet and using the pieces of
various forms and colours to compose the entire pattern. In the former case the
pattern would be inlaid; in the latter it would be built. In the first case the
primary sheet would be coloured all over, suitable for the ground, and would be
passed through a cutting machine where the perforations would be cut out to
admit the insertion of the pattern by a suitably shaped die. From this it would
pass along a flot horizontal table where the coloured pieces cut out, by properly
shaped dies to suit the pattern, from secondary sheets, suitably coloured, would be
inserted in the proper places to form the coloured pattern. The second part of
the machine may be called the inlaying machine. In this inlaying machine the
perforated sheet is carried on a canvas web past a series of heads, one head being
provided for each colour. The canvas web is carried along by an intermittent
motion and stopped with the pattern at each head where a die having the parts of
the pattern of one colour cut out from a secondary sheet comes down and leaves the
pieces on the canvas. As the perforated sheet passes along under the various heads
each one deposits its own properly shaped and coloured pieces of material, and thus
when the sheet has passed along the series of heads the whole perforated sheet is
filled in, and the coloured pattern formed. The sheet then passes to heated tables,
where by pressure between plattens, steam heated, the pattern and sheet are
consolidated together, and the whole formed into a solid continuous sheet.
In some cases the whole sheet may be built up on the canvas web by the inlaying
part of the machine without a perforated primary sheet.
The heads above referred to consist of reciprocating and revolving bars carrying
the cutting die and blocks properly shaped for each part of the pattern. The
die is first brought up to the secondary sheet where it cuts out its portion
of the pattern, and then, turning round to the canvas web, déposits the pieces
cut out.
The canvas is placed on a platten which is carried on metallic bands or metallic
bands in combination with pitch chains. Mechanism is provided for moving the
bands or bands and chains so as to give movements to the platten and sheet both
longitudinal and lateral. The platten brings the sheet up to the exact position for
receiving each succeeding colour.
Dated this 27th day of August 1894.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Inlaid Linoleum and the like,
and Apparatus connected therewith.
I, DAVID ESPLIN THOMSON, of Gillespie. Street Works, Gilmore Place,
Edinburgh, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a machine for cutting out and building
patterns from substances such as linoleum, which can be formed into sheets. The
machine may be arranged to make the complete sheet by combination of a primary
perforated sheet, and insertion therein of pieces of various forms and colours; or
otherwise by dispensing with the perforated primary sheet, and using the pieces of
various forms and colours to compose the entire pattern. In the former case the
primary sheet would be coloured all over suitable for the ground, and the pattern
would be inlaid; in the latter it would be entirely built. In both cases the
linoleum would be fixed to a canvas backing. For this purpose I provide a
travelling platten or table, which is caused to travel intermittently a distance
equal to the length of the pattern to be produced, said table carrying with it the
canvas backing upon which the pieces of linoleum or tesseræ are to be laid. On a
suitable framing, and at a convenient height above said table are sets of rollers,
(as many sets as there are colours in the pattern) between each set of which there
passes a prepared continuous sheet of suitable colour to form the mosaic. In the
said framing and arranged in suitable guides are carried sets of heads fixed on
beams. On said beads are. fixed a series of cutters or die plates, each cutter
corresponding to the part of one colour of the pattern. Loosely fitted inside said
cutters and attached to a sliding block are fixed ejectors which eject the tessera
from the cutters and press them on to the canvas backing, said sliding block being
carried in suitable guides attached. to the beam. The beam which carries the
cutters is hung on trunnions, and is free to be turned by suitable mechanism from
a horizontal to a vertical position and vice versa: When said beam is held in the
horizontal position another beam to which is attached a soft metal facing and also
a guide plate, and which carries the sheet of linoleum with it, is moved towards
the cutter beam and presses the cutters through the sheet of linoleum. The beam
is then drawn back carrying the sheet of linoleum with it. The cutter beam
is then turned from the horizontal to the vertical position and the tesseræ ejected
from the cutters and pressed on to the canvas backing. During the time that the
cutter beam is being turned from the vertical to the horizontal position the sheet of
linóleum is moved (by suitable mechanism) downwards or across the cutter beam in
readiness for the next movement of the cutting block.
After the pattern has been completed the whole is drawn under a hydraulic press
and is subjected to a pressure sufficient to make the pieces of mosaic cohere and
adhere to the canvas backing; the sheet of mosaic is then carried between rollers
(which may be heated) which give it a further and finishing pressure.
This invention is for the manufacture of two styles of mosaic, i.e. that in which
there is a continuous sheet of linoleum with perforations made in it, and then filled
up with a pattern of one or more colours, the whole being fixed to a canvas
backing, and the other that in which the whole sheet of mosaic is made up of
tessere of different forms and colours fixed to a canvas backing..
The accompanying drawings will enable my invention to be fully understood.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section.
Figure 2 is a side elevation. .
Figure 3 is a front end elevation.

page_text: Figure 5 is a sectional elevation showing part of pattern cutting block, section
of primary cutting block, and rollers for feeding linoleum web to cutter block.
Figures 6 and 7 are views of. the gearing for giving the transverse motion to the
rollers for feeding linoleum web to the cutters.
Figure 8 is a section of the drum for carrying the travelling table or platten.
Figures 9 and 10 are views of the pattern cutting block (to a larger scale).
Figures 11 to 19 are views of details to be hereinafter described.
In the several figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
a is the primary sheet; bb' secondary sheets of different colours; a¹ (Figure 3)
the strip of linoleum to form the selvidge or edge of the sheet; C is the framing,
which is formed in sections; c' and the girders which support the travelling
table and take the stress during the operation of pressing the tessere. on to the
canvas backing. These girders are provided with a chamber so that they may be
heated with steam if necessary. c and care the drums for carrying the travelling
table, which is moved intermittently by means of the ratchet wheel c and
pawle (Figure 2); c are the shafts for carrying the drums c³ c* and ratchet
wheel c d is the beam or head for carrying the primary sheet cutters or
dies d', which are fixed to an adjustable block d. The beam is moved upwards
and downwards by means of the toggle joints d³ which are attached to box
slides d, and operated by cams d'; do is a girder which forms the cutting tible
for the primary sheet, the said table being covered with a soft metal facing d';
eel are the beams or heads for carrying the secondary sheet cutters or dies 2, which
are fixed to adjustable blocks ee. The beams e e' are hung on trunnions_e³,
and are turned from a horizontal to a vertical position by means of levers e et es
which are attached to box slides e and operated by cams elo; ff1 are the cutting
tables for secondary sheets 6 61, said tables being covered with a soft metal
facing Fig. 4. Attached to the tables but adjustable are guard plates f³. The
tables ff are moved backwards and forwards by means of toggle joints fattached
to box slides f' and operated by cams f° and f'; g (Figures 9, 10) is the ejector
plate to which are attached ejectors g', g² etc.; g³ is bolted to the plate g and also
to a spindle g, said spindle and plate being kept in position by means of the
spring and adjustable nut 9. The adjustable blocks e with dies e² are fixed to
the beam e by means of the guide plates 9' and bolts g³, and are adjusted by bolts gº.
h (Figure 5) is a beam which is attached to box slides h³, and operated by means of
cams h³. are guide rods for the pattern plate 4, said guide rods being held in
position by suitable guides he fixed to the framing c. The guide rods and pattern
plate are pressed downwards by means of the cam h, and are lifted up by the
springs . jj Figs. 1 and 2 are rollers for taking the primary sheet from roll a,
and are driven at a constant speed by means of cone pulleys, Fig. 3. j* and
j³ are rollers for guiding the sheet on to the cutting block. and j' are rollers on
which projections are made to fit into the perforations made in the primary web,
and are driven intermittently by the friction between the travelling table co aud the
roller, driving and by means of the spur wheels and chain wheels j
and jk is the sheet or web of canvas; k¹ the steam cylinder round which the
web of canvas is passed. is the guide roller for the canvas web. The cylinder k¹
is driven at a constant speed by means of the cones k³, k* and chain wheels k* ko
Fig. 1. 1, l¹are the guide rollers for giving the downward movement to the
secondary sheets and which are driven intermittently by means of the ratchet
wheel and pawl P, the movenient of the pawl being regulated by the ratchet
wheel and cam 1. is the rucking lever which gives motion to the lever 1°. Fis
the connecting rod attached to the cutting table, and gives motion to the rocking
lever is the pawl which moves the ratchet wheel and cam 1, said cam
regulating by means of projections on its face the amount of movement of the
lever which is moved forwards by and backwards by the weighted lever 110.
m m³ are the rollers for taking up the scrap of the secondary sheets of linoleum b b².
m², m³, mª, m³ are guide rollers for the sheets bb' Fig. 1.

page_text: For giving a transverse movement to the secondary sheets (Figures 1, 6, and 7)
n is the connecting rod attached to the cutting table f; and giving motion to the
rocking lever n¹; n² and n³ are rods attached to n', and give the forward movement
to the lever n to which are attached the pawls no n°; and also for lifting the
pawls n n out of gear with the ratchet wheel. n' is a weighted lever for giving
the backward movement to the lever n. n n° are bevel wheels with a ratchet
attached, said wheels being loose on their spindle and gearing into bevel pinion no
which is fixed on its spindle; also fixed on said spindle, is a spur wheel n" which
gears into a rack n cast on the bracket n¹³, said bracket carrying rollers l, m, m²,
and the sheet b, and baving projections n which fit into a groove in the roller 1,
and as the bracket n¹ is made by means of the gearing to travel backwards and
forwards it gives like transverse movement to the rollers carrying the secondary
sheet 6, the backward and forward movement depending upon which pawl is in gear
with the ratchet attached to the bevel wheels 18, no, the movement of the pawls
being regulated by the ratchet n, and projections on the cam 16. The projections
on the cam n may be varied to give a longer or shorter movement to the sheet b,
and thus suit different patterns.
o (Figure 2) is the rocking lever attached to f1 for giving motion to the connecting
rod o' which moves the rocking lever o² to which is attached the pawl o' for giving
intermittent movement to the drum c. Also attached to the lever o³ is a connecting
rod-o which gives movement to the ratchet pawl o centred on lever 08. 0° is a
ratchet wheel for giving intermittent motion to the spur wheel o' and pinion wheel o³.
(Figure 1) are the rollers which are moved intermittently by the action of the
wheels 07 08, and which carry the finished sheet from under the hydraulic press.
P, (Figure 2) is a disc with slots p' round the rim. Into said slots a stop p² fits.
p² works in guides p³ and is moved intermittently by the rocking lever p which is
operated by connecting rod po, po having a slotted end p and being attached to a
pin p (Figure 5) fixed in spur wheel p. p is fixed on shaft and is moved
intermittently by means of the ratchet wheel c and pawl c'. p' and pare
pedestals bolted to framing e; p" pins for adjusting p³.
9 is a hydraulic press with two rams q' attached to a beam 23. 9 is a table for
the same, the movements of the press being controlled by suitable mechanism not
shown. is provided with a chamber so that it may be steam heated if found
necessary.
7) (Figures 1 and 2) is a roller with pinion » on each end, and gearing into
racks attached to and to rocking lever is a connecting link is a
connecting rod from 7 to pin 70 in disc 7 (Figure 4) fixed on shaft. On said
shaft but sliding on a feather or key is a clutch, which fits into 10, 10 being
attached to spur pinion" but louse on shaft 78.1 is a spur wheel which gears
into 711
Fixed on spindles (Figure 1) and fitting into r, is a clutch rod s². 8³ is a toggle
joint one end of which is attached to the rod s' and the other end to the framing C
by suitable pins. is a cam cast on for disengaging clutch. is a weighted
lever for putting the clutch into gear with 10. are suitable brackets fixed to
the framing c for carrying s.
t and t¹ are the calendering or finishing rolls. They are made to be steam heated
if found to be necessary. These are driven at a constant speed by means of the
driving conest and the belt pulleys t t. t is a bush carrying t aud sliding in a
suitable bracket to fitted with a screw and handwheel t' so that the pressure between
t and may be varied.
u is the driving pulley, and u², w², u³ u², uº, 2º, u² u³ Fig. 4, the spur gearing.
V, (Figure 1) is a water spray pipe for damping the under side of the canvas web
before pressing should it be found necessary.
Figure 8 is a section of the drums c³ c^. vis the loose rim of expansive metal ;
the expansion ring of cast iron; the drum; the bolts for drawing up the
expansion ring and enlarging the diameter of ring as required. The section
clearly shows the manner in which the drum is built.

page_text: Figure 11 is a plan of the guard plate showing the holes in the plate which ast
as guides for the dies e for cutting out and laying on part 1 of the pattern, shown
in Figure 19.
Figures 13 and 14 are top and bottom views of die e showing the method of
making the die and also guides for the ejectors g', g³, etc. for part 1 of the pattern
shown in Figure 19.
Figure 12 is a plan of the guard plate * showing the holes in the plate which
act as guides for the dies e³ for cutting out and laying on part 2 of the pattern
shown in Figure 19.
Figures 15 and 16 are top and bottom views of die e showing the method. of
making the die, and also guides for the ejectors g₁ g³ etc. for part 2 of the pattern
shown in Figure 19.
Figure 19 shows the method of manufacturing the mosaic from the perforated
primary sheet, the perforations being inlaid with one or more different coloured
pieces of linoleum, the first set of dies putting in colour No. 1, the second set colour
No. 2, colour after colour being added till the complete pattern is laid.
Figures 17 and 18 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a portion of
the travelling table or platten. The platten consists of a series of transverse strips
of wood w connected to two metallic bands w¹, and in order to cause the canvas to
move at the same rate as the platten the latter is provided with a series of pins un
upon its surface, said pins engaging with the canvas web and drawing it forward as
the platten is moved.
The foregoing describes fully the operation of making and placing in position
the parts forming a floorcloth composed of a primary perforated web and inlaid
mosaic.
The machine is also designed to build the whole floorcloth from sections of any
desired pattern. In this latter case the first portion of the machine for feeding in
perforating and placing primary sheet in position on the platten is thrown
out of gear and remains unused. The requisite cutter and die plates are placed
in their respective heads to form the complete pattern, and in lieu of the
primary sheet a selvidge or edge of linoleum a¹ (Figure 20, Sheet 3) is placed on
the platten and the whole number of sections forming the pattern then being
inserted between these strips, all as fully described. The construction of the sheet
built up entirely is clearly shown in Figure 20.
The operation of the whole apparatus is fully described as follows
To make the complete sheet by combination of a primary perforated sheet or
web and the insertion therein of pieces of various forms and colours.
The rolls of linoleum 66' are the secondary sheets: a is the primary, and a¹
(Figure 3) the strip for forming the edge of the sheet. k is the canvas backing,
these having been placed in their proper positions, and the head d carrying the
primary sheet cutters being in its highest position, the canvas backing & passing
round and is drawn forwards by means of the travelling platten c driven by
the ratchet wheel c° (Figure 2) and pawl c; at the same time the primary sheet a
and strip a' are also drawn forward under the press head d with the cutters d¹.
The platten then rests and during the interval of rest the head descends and
perforates the sheet a, the perforations passing upwards through the cutters
the inside of the blocks d, from which they are ejected by a travelling band dª
through opening d³ (Figure 5).
.
to
The head is now raised and the perforated sheet is drawn forward a length
equal to a pitch of the pattern when it again rests. The primary sheet and the
canvas backing rolls are arranged by means of cones to be driven at a constant
speed sufficient to allow of a length of either equal to the pitch of the pattern to
be unrolled between the intermittent movements of the platten.
At the same time as the primary sheet is being perforated the pieces or tesseræ
from the secondary sheets 66 are being cut, the heads e el being held in a hori-
zontal position by means of the levers ee, the cutting tables ff being moved

page_text: forward against the heads e, e and cutters & and cut out the various pieces. The
tables are then drawn backwards, taking the webs bb with them by means of
the guard plates f³.
The presses or heads e el being now turned from a horizontal to a vertical
position, are directly over the perforations made in the primary sheet. Imme- 5
diately before e e¹ comes to rest in the vertical position the cam ½º comes into
operation and presses down the pattern guide plate, compressing the springs h',
(Figure 5) on to the top of the primary sheet. The cams h³ now come ipto
operation and bring down the beam hon to the spindles 9* (Figure 5) compressing
the springs 9 and forcing down the ejectors g¹9³ (Figure 9) and ejecting the 1
tessere through the pattern guide plate 7, pressing them on to the canvas backing
and inserting them in their proper places in the perforations. Whilst the ejectors
hold the tessera in position the cams pass. off the guide rods and allow the
pattern plate to rise by the action of the springs h. The cam h³ now lifts the
beam, and the springs raise the ejectors to their highest position. The heads ee
are now returned from the vertical to the horizontal position in readiness for the
next operation of cutting. During the time that the tessera was being ejected
the secondary sheets 6 61 were being drawn downwards a length equal to a
pitch of the pattern, and the scrap or perforated sheet was being rolled on the
Tollers m m¹.
The following explanation of the operation of moving one sheet will do for the
others.
On the forward movement of the table f to which the rod is attached
(Figure 2) the pawl 8 pulls round the ratchet wheel and cam 1. The weighted
lever pulls over the lever which carries the pawl F. The lever rests on the
cam Projections are made on the edge of this cam to give any desired length
of stroke to the pawl P, and thus regulates the movement of the sheet.b to suit the
pattern being cut. On the backward movement of the table the pawl moves the
roller the required distance, carrying the web b with it. The action of rolling
the sheet off rolls the scrap on to m. It is sometimes necessary to give the sheet:
a transverse movement as well as a downward in order to use up as much of the
material as possible. (In Figures 6 and 7 is shown the gearing for this purpose.)
On the forward movement of the table f, to which the rod n is attached, the pawl n
pulls round the ratchet wheel and cam no, the shape of the face of the cam
regulating the length of the stroke. As the weighted lever n' pulls the lever n³
over against the face of the cam the projections on the side of the cam come into
contact with either of the rods n² or n³, and by means of the upturned point lift
either of the pawls nº or no out of gear with its ratchet wheel, depending on the
direction of motion to be given to the sheet; or if no transverse motion at noy
particular stroke is to be given to the sheet, both pawls will be put out of
gear.
Suppose the pawl n° (Figure 4) is in gear, it will turn the bevel and spur
wheels in gear with the rack n¹ so as to move the sheet from right to
left, and if n is in gear the movement would be from left to right. These
movements downwards and transverse to the web or sheet can be arranged to take
place at the same or different times as the pattern may require.
To ensure an exact movement of the platten the pawl c' and ratchet wheel co
(Figure 2) are arranged to move the platten a little less than the correct pitch ;
the stop p² is then forced into one of the slots p' which are equal in pitch round the
rim of the disc p. The stop brings round the disc to the same position each
movement, and thus regulates the travel of the drums carrying the platten.
After the sheet has been completely built it is drawn under a hydraulic press q³
by means of the rollers o° driven intermittently by the pawl of connected to the
rod o. When the sheet has been subjected to a pressure sufficient to make the
pieces of mosaic cohere to each other and adhere to the canvas backing, it is passed
between the rollers tt¹ (which may be heated if necessary) which give it a further
2

page_text: and finishing pressure. The sheet comes from under the press intermittently, but
the rollers by means of the cones t³ are driven at a constant speed just sufficient to
take in the sheet as it comes from the press.
"
After the hydraulic press has been lifted off the sheet and before the forward
movement of the sheet, the roller is driven rapidly forward between the press and
the sheet so as to roll the sheet off the face of the press should it tend to stick after
pressure. The roller is driven rapidly and intermittently by means of the
pinion and clutch and 10 (Figure 4) which drives the disc connected to
the rod, and the rocking lever and link **.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The general arrangement of parts forming a machine for the manufacture of
inlaid linoleum and the like, substantially as described and illustrated on the
accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for the manufacture of inlaid linoleum and the like, the com-
bination of a horizontal travelling table and a series of cutters or die-plates which
receive pieces of various forms and colours from secondary sheets and deposit
the tessera of various shapes and colours on to a canvas backing carried along
by said horizontal table, substantially as described and illustrated on the
accompanying drawings.
3. The mechanism described for moving the travelling table with canvas backing
by the exact amount so that the tessera of various shapes and colours may be
deposited exactly in their proper places.
Dated this 25th day of September 1895.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.