Improvements in the Vulcanization of Waterproofed Fabrics and other India Rubber Goods in Continuous Lengths and in Apparatus Employed therefor.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1887
Complete Left, 30th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1888
Improvements in the Vulcanization of Waterproofed Fabrics and
other India Rubber Goods in Continuous Lengths and in
Apparatus Employed therefor.
I HARRY HERBERT WADDINGTON Manager for Messieurs Charles Macintosh and
Company of Manchester in the County of Lancaster India Rubber Manufacturers do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
:-
This invention relates to the vulcanization of waterproof fabrics, and other india rubber
goods in continuous lengths by means of heated air, my object being to render the
process more rapid and economical.
Such vulcanization has been hitherto accomplished by placing the fabric or other
india rubber goods in a suitable heated chamber or receptacle the opening or door of
which has then been closed and the fabric or other goods allowed to remain therein until
the vulcanization of the same was completed. The door or opening of the chamber
or receptacle has been then unclosed for the removal of the vulcanized fabric or
material.
It will be evident that much time is required for the introduction and arrangement
of the fabric or material in the aforesaid chamber or receptacle and for its removal
therefrom, and also time is lost by the loss of heat consequent on the opening and
closing of the said chamber or receptacle, between each operation.
By my invention
cause the fabric or material to pass continuously through a
chamber of such dimensions and so arranged and heated that the vulcanization of the
india rubber shall be completed during the passage from the inlet to the outlet of the
said chamber, I am thus enabled to render the process continuous, as the end of one
piece may be attached to the beginning of another, and consequently no loss of time
or heat will be occasioned by the introduction of a fresh piece or number of pieces into
the vulcanizing Chamber.
Inside this chamber I arrange a number of rollers (preferably in two series or rows)
over and under which the fabric or material passes, the number and speed of the
revolution of these rollers regulating the time which the said fabric or material takes
to pass from the inlet to the outlet.

page_text: A certain number of these rollers are driven by suitable gearing in the required
direction to cause the fabric on material to pass along easily, and I prefer to make the
rollers of hollow metal and I may heat them or some of them by steam.
It may also be found desirable when single texture fabrics are being treated to cool
one or more of the rollers nearest to the outlet by a current of cold water or other
suitable means to give a finish to the india rubber surface.
It will be evident that by a suitable disposition of the rollers two or more pieces of
fabric or material may be caused to travel through the vulcanizing chamber
simultaneously, or the said rollers may be made long enough to carry two or more
pieces side by side.
The inlets and outlets for the fabric or material are made as narrow as possible in
order to retain the heat in the vulcanizing chamber, and they may be provided with
cloth or other flaps acting as valves for this purpose.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Vulcanization of Waterproofed Fabrics and
other India Rubber Goods in Continuous Lengths and in
Apparatus Employed therefor.
I HARRY HERBERT WADDINGTON Manager for Messieurs Charles Macintosh and
Company of Manchester in the County of Lancaster India Rubber Manufacturers
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:-
This invention relates to the vulcanization of waterproof fabrics and other india
rubber goods in continuous lengths by means of heated air, my object being to render
the process more rapid and economical.
Such vulcanization has been hitherto accomplished by placing the fabric or other
india rubber goods in a suitably heated chamber or receptacle the opening or door
of which has been closed, and the fabric or other goods allowed to remain therein until
the vulcanization of the same was accomplished.
The chamber or receptacle has been then opened for the removal of the vulcanized
fabric or material.
It will be evident that much time is required for the introduction and arrangement
of the fabric or material in the aforesaid chamber or receptacle and for its removal
therefrom, and also time is lost by the loss of heat consequent on the opening and
closing of the said chamber or receptacle between each operation.
By my invention I cause the fabric or material to pass continuously through a
chamber of such dimensions and so arranged and heated that the vulcanization of the
india rubber shall be completed during the passage from the inlet to the outlet of the
said chamber. I am thus enabled to render the process continuous as the end of one
piece may be attached to the beginning of another, and consequently no loss of time
or heat will be occasioned by the introduction of a fresh piece or number of pieces into
the vulcanizing chamber.
The drawing annexed to the Specification represents a longitudinal vertical section
of the apparatus which I propose to employ for this purpose a, a being the
vulcanizing chamber.
Inside this chamber I arrange a number of rollers b, 6 (preferably in two series or
rows as shown over and under which the fabric or material passes the number and
speed of the revolution of these rollers regulating the time which the said fabric or
material takes to pass from the inlet to the outlet.
A certain number of these rollers b, bare driven by suitable gearing c, c in the
required direction to cause the fabric or material to pass along easily, and I prefer
to make the rollers b, b of hollow metal and I may heat them or some of them by
steam.

page_text: It may also be found desirable when single texture fabrics are being treated to cool
one or more of the rollers nearest to the outlet d' by a current of cold water or other
suitable means to give a finish to the india rubber surface.
It may be desirable in order to prevent the too rapid evaporation of the sulphur or
other vulcanizing agent with which the india rubber is mixed or treated, to apply the
heat gradually or by successive stages.
With this object the vulcanizing chamber may be divided transversely into two or
more spaces in which the heat may be arranged as required, or it may be sufficient if
one or more of the rollers nearest the inlet are kept cool by a current of cold water so
that the fabric or material is prevented from becoming heated to the same degree as
the interior of the chamber until it has passed the said cooled roller or rollers.
a
It will be evident that by a suitable disposition of the rollers two or more pieces
of fabric or material may be caused to travel through the vulcanizing chamber
simultaneously, or the said rollers may be made long enough to carry two or more
pieces side by side.
The inlet and outlet d, d¹ for the fabric or material are made as narrow as
possible in order to retain the heat in the vulcanizing chamber and they may be
provided with cloth or other flaps acting as valves for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
First. The improved method or process of vulcanizing india rubber fabrics or goods
in a continuous manner substantially as hereinbefore described and
Secondly. I claim the vulcanizing chamber fitted with a series of rollers and
having an inlet and an outlet opening so that the goods can be continually passing
through substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings
annexed.
D
1 1. በሰ
1
1007
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.