IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC TILES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Walton, of Heatham House, Twickenham, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC TILES."
Sealed the 27th November 1877, and dated the 13th June 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Walton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th June 1877.
FREDERICK WALTON, of Heatham-House, Twickenhamn, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC TILES."
My improvement consists in the manufacture of elastic tiles, which whilst being
soft to the feet and comparatively noiseless to walk upon, are capable of being
ornamented, and 'will retain their freshness of color unimpaired by traffic.
To produce this result I make the face of the tile which is exposed to wear of a
material consisting of oxidized or solidified oil mixed with pigments and other
matters, and of a very fine texture, similar to ivory or fine grained wood, whilst
the under part or base of the tile I make of coarsely divided particles of cork, which
are cemented together with the smallest quantity of cementive material necessary
to cause.it to form a compact slab, and thus I ensure a hard but elastic base for the
ornamental wearing surface of the tile which is close in texture so as to be resistanţ
to pressure and non-absorbent.
I produce ornamental surfaces in the upper layer by means of inlaying, either by
punching out one color and putting in its place another, or by moulding recesses
into the sheet by moulding forms in other colors, and inserting the same, and
combining the same by pressure.
The following proportions are suitable for the face of the tile :-

page_text: For the body of the tile the following proportions are suitable :—
10 lbs. oxidized oil.
1
1
33
resin.
kaurie.
Pigment enough to color to a tint somewhat similar to that of
the surface layer.
24 lbs. of pulverised or ground cork, as coarse as rough meal, and the
fine particles separated by sieving.
In some cases I dissolve the cement in coal naphtha, the object of which is to get a
much larger bulk of cork in proportion to cement, giving lightness, economy, more
elasticity, and greater resistance to compression.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Walton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
December 1877. .
FREDERICK WALTON, of Heatham House, Twickenham, in the County
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC TILES.”
of
My improvements consist in the manufacture of elastic tiles, which whilst being
soft to the feet and comparatively noiseless to walk upon, are capable of being
ornamented, and will retain their freshness of color unimpaired by traffic.
To produce this result I mako the face of the tile which is exposed to wear of a
material consisting of oxidized or solidified oil mixed with pigments and other
matters, and of a very fine texture, similar to ivory or fine-grained wood, whilst
the under part or base of the tile I make of coarsely divided particles of cork, which
are cemented together with the smallest quantity of cemeutive material necessary
to cause it to form a compact slab, and thus I ensure a bard but elastic base for the
ornamental wearing surface of the tile, which is close in texture so as to bé resistant
to pressure, and non-absorbent.
I produce ornamental surfaces in the upper layer by means of inlaying, either by
punching out one color and putting in its place another, or by moulding recesses
into the sheet by moulding forms in other colors and inserting the same and
combining the same by pressure.
The following proportions are suitable for the face of the tile :-

page_text: 12 lbs. of wood fibre.
6 lbs. pigment (dry), to color.
I mix them in a suitable mixing machine, either rollers or a radial mixing
machine heated by steam, such as is used for linoleum floor cloth. The composition
is then rolled into sheets by rollers from 12 to 24 inches wide, the sheets being
made about to inch in thickness, according to the value of the tile.
In making plain tiles I prefer to make the sheets of the fine surface material
coincidently with sheets of the coarse under side or base of the tile, and combine
them immediately in the same machine, and after combination to cut them into the
form required. To do this I proceed as follows:-I employ a rolling machine,
consisting of two pairs of pressing rollers, one pair of which rolls out the sheet of fine
material, whilst the other pair simultaneously rolls out the coarse sheet for the base.
The two sheets are then combined in a third pair of rollers, and the combined sheet
is cut to the required width by means of circular knives, and also cut into squares
by means of a knife having a rapid intermittent motion.
To enable a more solid and perfect sheet to be obtained I use stripping cloths,
which may be wetted to prevent undue adhesion; these I employ both for the fine
and coarse sheets.
In order to ensure a perfectly true and square tile I press the tile in a mould
after it has been cut off roughly to size, as described, or sometimes I bake the tiles
by heat in stoves and make them quite hard and dry before cutting them true to
shape, and I then employ a plane-like tool working in guides, both for the sides
and back.
The foregoing methods relate to the making of plain tiles of various colors.
In the manufacture of ornamental or figured tiles I proceed as follows:-After
having formed a sheet of the finer or upper strata required, say of 9 or 12 inches
wide, I pass it through a machine which perforates the sheet by means of punches
according to the desired pattern (or what I prefer), I mould the recesses with a die
acting intermittently, the recesses being made only partially through the sheet, and
also from other sheets of various colors, pieces are punched out or moulded and fixed
into the recesses, either mechanically or by hand, and the whole is then passed under
presses acting intermittently (with heat), so as to combine the various pieces into one
compact figure. The piece so prepared is then cemented on to the face of the coarser
material by heat and pressure, or with cement, and is then dried in a hot stove at a
temperature of from 90 to 120 degrees, the temperature being raised gradually.
The processes, as described, can be effected by hand, each tile being moulded in
moulds separately, and the pieces put in by hand, and the tile then pressed to
combine the pieces under heat, after which the fine and coarse layer are combined
with cement of shellac and spirits of wine; finally, the tiles are stoved for one to

page_text: three weeks at a temperature of 90 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to harden them and
to free them from smell.
I claim the manufacture of elastic tiles, substantially as described.
I also claim in the manufacture of elastic tiles the combination of a fine surface
material, with a coarse foundation, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Walton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WIT MAYT