IMPROVEMENTS IN COVERING THE Roors OF BUILDINGS, IN COVERING THE VALVES USED WHEN PRO- PELLING BY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, IN COVERING THE SLEEPERS OF RAILWAYS, AND IN COVERING PARTS OF STRINGED AND KEYED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BROCKEDON, of Devonshire Street, Queen's Square, in the County of Middle-
sex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Brockedon, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Brockedon, my exors, adñiors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Brockedon, my exors, adñiors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COVERING THE Roors OF BUILDINGS, IN COVERING THE VALVES USED WHEN PRO-
PELLING BY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, IN COVERING THE SLEEPERS OF RAILWAYS, AND
IN COVERING PARTS OF STRINGED AND KEYED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said William Brockedon,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Brockedon, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,.
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention consists,-
First, of combining a certain preparation of india rubber (caoutchouc), here-
after described, with the boarding or wood covering used on the roofs of houses
and other buildings.
Secondly, my Invention consists of adapting and applying a certain prepara-
tion of india rubber (caoutchouc), hereafter described, to the surfaces of valves
used on the pipes or tubes of atmospheric railways.
Thirdly, my Invention consists of combining a certain preparation of india
rubber (caoutchouc) with the upper surfaces of sleepers of railways, so as to
produce an elastic. covering or bed or surface. between the sleepers of the
rails fixed thereon and between the sleepers and the chairs fixed thereon.
And,
Fourthly, my Invention consists of combining a certain preparation of india
rubber (caoutchouc) with the hammers of pianofortes, and with the stops of
the keys of flutes and other wind musical instruments having similar keys.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily.
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
It is well known that india, rubber (caoutchouc) in its natural state is liable
to become sct and hard when subjected to low degrees of temperature,
and to become. permanently injured by even moderately high degrees of
temperature; in fact, that it is very materially acted on by the varying
temperatures of the different seasons of England; hence india rubber has not
been used for many purposes to which its peculiar elasticity and pliability at
about 55° to 65° of Fahrenheit, if permanent,, would, render it capable of
being adapted. And within these last few years it has been discovered that
india rubber (caoutchouc) combined with sulphur, and subjected for some.time
to a high degree of temperature, receives; a permanent change,, being thereby
capable of retaining its elasticity and pliability, notwithstanding it may be
subjected to greatly varying degrees of heat; and it, has been found that the
chemical matters which would previously; readily act. on india rnbber in the
natural state will not so injuriously, act on india. rubber after such process of
sulphur and heat; and. I mention these circumstances in order to state that I
make no claim to such process of treating india. rubber, it having having
already been made the subject of a Patent by the Inventor,. Mr. Thomas
Hancock; and I wish it to be understood that my Invention consists of certain

page_text: new mechanical adaptations and combinations of india rubber so prepared,
which I will now proceed more particularly to describe.
:
In covering roofs of houses and other buildings, a waterproof and lasting
material is necessary; and it is desirable that the outer material used should
be as light as possible, and not liable to expand and contract, or be injured by
cold or by the heat of the sun; and I have discovered that india rubber
prepared as herein described, when fixed on or combined with the boarding or
wood covering of a roof of a house or other building, produces a very lasting
and light waterproof covering; and the best means I am acquainted with for
applying prepared india rubber is, to form it into thin sheets, and to spread
them evenly over the boarding of the roof, which should be evenly and well
formed on the outer surface, so that the sheets of prepared india rubber may
be laid smooth and stretched flat on the surface; and I cause the edges of the
sheets to overlap about two inches, and I nail the same down with copper or
other nails; and, owing to the elastic properties of the prepared india rubber,
the passage of nails through will not allow water to pass, owing to the prepared
india rubber closing tightly round the nails; or I bring the edges of the sheets
together, and nail them down, and then cover the edges of each two neigh-
bouring sheets with fillets of the prepared india rubber, or with fillets of wood,
or lead, or other metal; and I apply lead over the ridges and other parts of a
roof where the outer edges and ends of the sheets of prepared india rubber
come, in a similar manner to that practised when roofs are covered with slates,
and as is well understood; or compo may be used in place thereof; but such
using of lead or compo or other materials forms separately no part of my
Invention.
In constructing atmospheric railways, where it is necessary to have pipes or
tubes having a longitudinal slit or opening with a cover, so that a valve is
formed which at one moment may be closed air-tight and at the other open,
and there have been various modes and apparatus proposed for closing such
slits or longitudinal openings in the pipes or tubes, but in all cases it is
necessary to have a flexible and air-tight covering or surface to the
instrument or apparatus (which closes the opening) constituting the valve,
and heretofore leather has been, I believe, the only material employed,
which, owing to the strength required, is necessarily stiff and unyielding,
but leather is liable, when repeatedly bent by opening and closing, and
when subjected to dry and wet atmospheric influence, to be quickly
injured, and I believe it has been proposed to use india rubber in the natural
state, but I believe the same is wholly inapplicable for such purposes. And
this part of my Invention consists in forming the surface or surfaces of the

page_text: instruments or apparatus called the valves which close the longitudinal
opening in the tubes of atmospheric railways with the preparation of india
rubber herein described. It will not be necessary to enter into a description
of every means by which it has been proposed to close the longitudinal slits
or openings, as they separately form no part of my Invention; but I will
confine my description to a short explanation of the means of substituting the
prepared india rubber for the leather now used. The valve now used consists,
as is well known to engineers, of a continuous strip of leather fastened at one
elge of the slit or opening of the pipe, so as to form with its two scats or
Ticarings a long flap valve, the surfaces of which leather are strengthened with
narrow metal plates side by side fastened to the leather, so as to lie across the
opening as the tubes or pipes, which allows of the long flap of the valve to be
flexible. Now, in place of the leather, I apply a preparation of india rubber,
such as is herein described, which is not only flexible but clastic, and in con-
sequence of such clasticity it will, by the pressure of the atmosphere pressing
externally (when a vacuum is being obtained within the tubes or pipes), cause
the surface to take the form of the surface against which it is pressed much
more accurately and freely than stiff leather, and hence the close stopping
of the opening or longitudinal slit will be more readily effected and a prepara-
tion of india rubber, such as is herein described, is not liable from any
atmospheric changes to receive any permanent set, nor will moisture or the
licat to which it will be liable injure it, nor will the wax or other matters used
in aiding the close stopping of the valve employed act injuriously on the india
rubber, hence prepared india rubber, such as is herein described, will be found
by its peculiar elasticity as well as flexibility particularly applicable for
covering those surfaces of valves used for atmospheric railways, where contact
and accurate closing of parts is to be repeatedly made and separated, what-
ever be the construction of those parts, which closing is greatly aided by the
application of the peculiar elastic and flexible properties of such india rubber;
and, as before stated, this part of my Invention is not for the construction of any
particular arrangement of the mechanical parts of valvular apparatus to be
used in atmospheric railways, but my Invention is for the application and
adaptation of a preparation of india rubber of the character herein described,
as a flexible and elastic covering or surface to the parts which are required to
be bent and to be brought in working contact, and by its clastic property,
when pressed on, to close the longitudinal openings in the pipes or tubes,
the prepared india rubber acting as a flexible and elastic packing to the parts
of the valvular apparatus which are brought and pressed in contact when
closing the slit or opening in the tubes or pipes.

page_text: It is well known that various efforts have been made to produce an elastic bed
or covering of sleepers of railways between the rails or the chairs and the sleepers,
and felt has in many cases being applied, both where continuous sleepers are used
and the rails are fixed to the sleepers without chairs, and also were sleepers are
used with chairs. Now this part of my Invention has for its object the applying a
preparation of india rubber, such as is herein described, as an elastic covering to
the sleepers, between them and the rails, or between them and the chairs, such
india rubber not being liable to become hard and set, as the felt heretofore
employed, thus producing a lasting and constantly clastic bed, which on an
extensive trial has been found highly useful, the prepared india rubber after
several months use not indicating any change in its substance or its elasticity
or general character. In combining the use of such prepared india rubber
with longitudinal sleepers where chairs are not used, but the rails are fixed on
the sleepers, I form long sheets, as wide as the base of the rail, and place
the same as a covering on the sleepers under the rail, and then fasten the rail
to the sleepers according to any of the ordinary means; and when chairs are
used, then I cut the sheets into sizes equal to the bottoms of the chairs, and
place the prepared india rubber on the sleepers, and the chairs thercon, and
fix the chairs to the sleepers. By this new combination of the prepared india
rubber with the sleepers below the rails and the chairs a very great improve
ment will be found to be effected in the construction of railways.
In covering the hammers of piano-fortes leather has been most generally
applied, but of late years felt has been introduced with great advantage.
Now one object of the fourth part of my Invention is to combine with such
hammers a preparation of india rubber of the character herein described, by
applying it on the surfaces which strike the wires, by which the hammers
will be found to retain a more uniform character than when leather or felt is
employed, as the india rubber so prepared is not liable to changes on the
surface by the repeated blows when in use in acting against the wires, nor
will it be liable to other prejudicial changes from other causes; and I have
found that the best means of applying the strips of prepared india rubber
is by slightly stretching it over the hammer, and caused to adhere by the
ordinary solution of india rubber, or by binding it round with waxed
thread, or other means may be resorted to. In covering the keys of flutes
and other instruments having similar openings, and covered with similar stops
acted on by keys, the material used has been, I believe, for the most part,
leather, which is liable to become hard after being wet, and not very
equable when moist. I therefore fix a covering by rivitting or other convenient
means of a preparation of india rubber of the character herein described,

page_text: in place of leather, to the stopping parts of the keys of flutes, and other
musical instruments having similar openings and stops acted on by keys;
and it will be found that by such new combination of a preparation of india
rubber such as is herein described with the stopping parts of keys of flutes and
other musical instruments that a valuable improvement of those instruments
is obtained, the stops being more uniform in their action.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best. means I
am acquainted with for performing the same, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described, so long as the
peculiar character of either part of my Invention be retained.
And as it is for some parts of my Invention desirable to make some
differences in the preparation of india rubber from those sold, I will
shortly state the means of preparing the india rubber with sulphur and other
matters, and subjected to heat so as to produce a change in the character
of the india rubber by the sulphur. The india rubber is cut into pieces, as
heretofore, and washed and cleansed from impurities by being passed between
pressing rollers with water, as is well understood; india rubber is then com-
bined with about ten per cent. of. its weight of sulphur in powder, and for the
purposes of roofs of houses and other buildings, and for railway purposes, I
find it desirable to combine therewith calamine in the state of powder; and for
roofing purposes I have found that as much calamines by weight as india
rubber may be combined with the india rubber, but where more flexibility is
required, less calamine is used. For railway valves, about one half by weight of
the india rubber is a good proportion. And I cause the sulphur and calamine
to be passed together with the india rubber successively between pressing
rollers (such as are used to cleanse the india rubber when using water) till
the whole is well blended, and if intended for the sleepers of railways the
mixture being passed between such rollers so as to produce sheets from about
one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch thick. Such sheets, after having being
subjected to heat, will be in a fit state to be used; but when for roofing
purposes I prefer to form such mixture into cylindrical blocks, by pressure in
moulds, and then to cut sheets off the circumference, all which is well under-
stood when working india rubber, and when for railway valves the preparation
may be formed into blocks by pressure in moulds, and then sheets cut off, or other
means may be resorted to. For musical instruments, I use the prepared india
rubber without calamine. And I would remark, that I make no claim to the
use of calamine for such purposes; and other matters may be used mixed in with
the india rubber to cheapen it, or india rubber simply prepared with sulphur
and heat may be employed for all the purposes herein described. The proper

page_text: sheets being obtained, they are to be submitted to a temperature of from 290°
to 300° of Fahrenheit, for about an hour, in any suitable chamber or vessel,
when it will be found that the india rubber has become changed in its character,
as before explained. And it will be found if less sulphur be used it will
require longer time to obtain the desired result, and if less temperaturo be
employed with the same quantity of sulphur a longer time will be necessary.
In conclusion, I would wish it to be understood that what I claim is,―
First, the combining a preparation of india rubber of the character herein
described with the boarding or wood covering of the roofs of houses and other
buildings.
Secondly, I claim the adaptation and application of a preparation of india
rubber of the character herein described for covering and contact surfaces of
the parts of valves of atmospheric railways, as herein described.
Thirdly, I claim the combining of a preparation of india rubber of the
character herein described with the upper surfaces of sleepers of railways, so as
to produce an elastic bed for the rails or chairs.
And,
Fourthly, I claim the combining a preparation of india rubber of the
character herein described with the hammers of piano-fortes, with the
key stops of flutes and other musical instruments having like stops acted
on by keys.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Brockedon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
the year of our Lord 1845, the aforesaid William Brockedon came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord One