US1850630A - Manufacture of embossed flexible hard surfaced coverings - Google Patents

Description

March 22, 1932. w. F. KAUFMAN 1,850,630

MANUFACTURE OF EMBOSSED FLEXIBLE HARD SURFACED COVERINGS w. F. KAUFMAN 1,850,630

MANUFACTURE OF EMBOSSED FLEXIBLEHABD SURFACED COVERINGS March 22, 1932.

Filed oct. 7,' 1929 s sheets-sheet 2 W. F. KAUFMAN March 22, 1932.

MANUFACTURE OF EMBOSJSED FLEXIBLE HARD SURFACED COVERINGS 3 sheets-sheet s -Patented Mar. 22, 1932 UNITED STATESg PATENT oFFicE I WALTER 4IF. KA'UFMAN, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ARMSTRONG? CORK COMPANY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VAN IA.`

AMAINU'IFAC'JIJ'ZRE 0F EMBOSSED FLEXIBLE HARD SURFACED COVERINGS Application inea omhei- 7, ieee. serial no. 397,777.

This invention relates to the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible coverings such as linoleum. In the patent to Humphreys & McCarthy No. 1,630,085, dated May 24, 1927, there is disclosed an embossed floor covering of inlaid linoleum having certain tesserae sunk below the general surface level of the goods. This material is made by forming molded inlaid linoleum in `accordance With the usual practice of supplying granulated linol'eu'm mix through stencils onto ka backing and compressing the material, and thereafter placing it in an embossing press so as to de ress the desired portions of the pattern. n order to relieve the monotony of the pattern, recourse is had to small inset design elements such as shown, for example, in Humphreys Reissue Patent No. 16,473. These small inset ligures are formed by supplying color through proper stencils. Unfortunately it is impossible with present machinery to make the repeat distance of these inset figures any greater than 54 inches. Also in any given line longitudinally o f the goods, the same ligure repeats indefinitely. This imposes marked limitations on the designs which can be produced.

It is impossible to make a pattern with a greater repeat distance because the universal practice in the oor covering industry has been to employ a 54 inch repeat, and all of the machines have been designed accordingly. The stencil plates and the machines which carry them are designed for this repeat distance aiid the presses Will not accommodate a materially longer section of goods. lIii practice, the embossing press acts on a 54 inch length of material and the embossing ribs on the face of the die thereof are carefully formed so as to t the pattern. Obviously, if a special inset figure, say a cross, occurred in one 54 inch length of material and the embossing die were eut to depress the material immediately surrounding such cross` it Would not be possible to substitute another dropped-in figure, say a swas'tika, at a corresponding point in the neXt- 54 inch length because the embossing die would notv be properly shaped to einboss around it.

Because of this fact it has been necessary to confine the range of patterns to those `in vvhichthe dropped-in figures were of such size and color as to not bring forcefully to the eye the fact that the pattern repeats itwhich it is desired to specially emboss and then feed the material through the press. The press forces the mask into the goods, giving the desired embossing effect. After the depressing operation the maskmay be removed.

The mask can be of any suitable material, such as heavy paper or thin sheet metal. I preferably employ a thin soft metal mask.

The portions of the pattern which are enibossed by the mask may consist of composite units, say an ornamental figure surrounded by a special background, or they may be plain colored blocks of linoleum. In the copending application of J. Clarence McCarthy, Serial No. 298,192, liled Aug. 8, 1928, there is disclosed a process of making molded inlaid linoleum wherein a preformed sheeted design element is dropped into place. The Mc- Carthy invention may advantageously be employed in connection with the present invenion.

Various figures may be made up on a suit- 85 able non-adherent backing, say oiled paper, and the stencil plates of the molded inlay machine so designed as to leave blank areas into which the preformed design elements may be laid for consolidation thereafter with the body of the goods under the making press. If desired, the dropped-in figures may be embossed by the mask before the figure is inserted in the body of the linoleum. In this case the mask is left in position, the oil paper backing simply being stripped from the figure and the figure being dropped into place. The mask preserves the embossing previouslyA imparted from the figure land is stripped of after the goods have been made. If the 10| sheeted figures are unembossed, then the operator may lay them in position and put a suitable mask of a shape corresponding to the design of the dropped-infigure over it. In this case the embossing of the figure takes place in the making press and the main body of the linoleum is thereafter embossed in the embossing press, the mask remaining in position to preserve the embossing of the droppedin figure, the embossing die having a blank space so that the mask will not be injured.

It will be seen that according to this form of the invention the figures may be dropped in 4in any desired sequence so that different longitudinal lines on the material contain an assortment of haphazard design elements. The repeat length of the goods may thus be multiplied indefinitely. In fact it is preferred that the operator be left free to drop the different designs in according to his fancy and not in any set order.

Instead of using previously formed design elements according to the McCarthy invention above identified, I may employ removable stencil portions for molding the special figures from granulated color. This requires that one or more stencil plates have special removable portions for which substitute plate portions are inserted according to the design of the figure required. A suitable form of removable stencil is disclosed in the copending application of Charles Weber, Serial No. 529,617, filed April 13, 1931.

The invention is also applicable to the manufacture of straight line linoleum. Straight line linoleum is made either by the hand process, wherein died-out pattern elements are laid on the backing by hand and thereafter compressed, or else by a rotary machine wherein continuous webs of sheeted linoleum are cut into pattern elements and scrap and the pattern elements are automatically laid on the backing. In the copendin'g application of Charles F. Humphreys, Serial No. 363,581, filed May 16, 1929, there is disclosed a method of operating a machine such as a rotary machine wherein recurring portions of the web which are ultimately to have a pattern element applied thereto are left uncovered, and pattern elements are thereafter filled in by hand. If desired, special figures may be inserted in such spaces and a mask placed thereover so that inthe subsequent calendering ofthe goods the mask is forced into the special pattern element; or, if desired, the embossing may be sooner effected and the mask left in place so as to preserve the embossing as the material travels through the roll calender.

In a rotary machine the material is inspected after the pattern elements have been automaticall laid and before it goes to the calender. I desired, the entire surface of the backing may be covered and the inspecthe present preferred tors may pull out pattern elements as they desire and substitute special figures wit corresponding masks. If it is desired merely to emboss certain figures, as, for example, plain squares, this may be done by laying the masks on the goods as it travels over the inl spection table.

If masks of soft metal, as, for example, lead, are employed, these will retain the curvature imparted by the roll calender in an amount sufiicient to cause them to pull free in part from the goods after it has been straightened out, thus making the masks easy to pick off. A cross bar for engaging the masks may be employed if desired.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiment of the invention and certain modifications thereof.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a floor covering made according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a section to enlarged scale of a portion thereof;

Fi ure 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating t e practice of the invention as applied to the molded inlaid process;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a special pattern element which may be employed;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a corresponding mask for embossing the same;

Figure 6 is a transverse section to enlarged scale of the molded inlaid material in process of manufacture and showing the same in the making press;

Figure 7 is a similar view but showing the material after it has been compressed and lying in the embossing press ready to have the main body of the pattern embossed;

Figure 8 is a sectional view to enlarged scale of a special pattern element such as shown in Figure 4 but preliminarily embossed by the use of a mask; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of a rotary machine adapted for the practice of my invention.

Referring first to Figure 1 there is shown a piece of linoleum made up of three lengths Z, each of 54 inches. The pattern consists in general of elements representing Dutch tiling with interliners representing mortar, but having dropped-in figures at intervals. These dropped in figures longitudinal rows 'r1 and 'r2 and in linoleum manufactured by processes heretofore employed, only one pattern element appeared in each longitudinal row. It will be noted, however, from Figure 1 that according to the present invention differentfigures are employed.

The material shown in Figures 1 and 2 is made by the molded inlaid rocess and a machine of conventional type or this process of manufacture is illustrated in Figure 3.l In accordance with the usual practice it comprises a bed 2 having pin bands 3 for feeding a backing of burlap B along the bed in a are arranged in i,

vOne such pattern element is shown in Figure 4, it consisting of a conventional fleur-de-lys on a contrasting background. A large number of special figures of varying pattern may be made up by supplying color through special stencils onto a non-adherent backing such as oiled paper, the figures being given a suiiicient amount of compression to insure adherence of the particles during handling. Workmen standing alongside the machine or on the inspectors platform 5 strip these design elements from their paper backing and lay them into the blank spaces of the main pattern.- There is no restriction on the order in which the figures may be placed.

A mask suchas-shown in Figure 5 is placed over each of the inset pattern elements. The mask of Figure 5 has cut out portions corresponding to the design of Figure 5 and it is v placed thereover with the perforations in proper registry with the portions of the pattern element which it is desired to leave upstanding. The mask may be made of any suitable material, although as above stated, it is preferred to employ soft ductile metal.

As the material travels forward it` moves `under a making press 6 having a platen 7 in the making press 6 and this embeds the mask into the pattern. Figure 6 shows the action of the making press. The main body of the pattern, indicated at 10, consists of loose granular color and the preformed design element is laid on the burlap B in the blank space provided by the stencils 4. The mask 12 lies over the design element 11 with its perforations in proper registry with the design, as shown in Figure 6.

After the material has been consolidated in the making press 6, it is fed forward to an embossing press 14. This press has a head 15 with embossing ribs 16 thereon for embossing the tile interliners of the general pattern. It is, however, provided with a blank space 17, as indicated in Figure 7. In Figure 7 the material is shown consolidated and about to be embossed by the ribs 16. The mask 12 remains in place to preserve the embossing which hasbeen imparted to the special ligure 11 by the making press. The

blank spaces 17 of the embossing die accommodate the various masks employed and prevent their distortion.

Figure 8 illustrates a special pattern element like that of Figure 4 except that in the preliminary sheetingv thereof the mask 12 has been employed so that when the special figure is put in place in the linoleum it has already been embossed and the mask functions to preserve this embossing through the making press 6 and the embossing press 14. This procedure is desirable in that it permits of quicker handling of the special insets due to the reinforcing afforded by the masks themselves and also saves time in that the mask is properly registered with the design when the figure is dropped into place. When operating at high speed this is of importance.

Figure 9 illustrates a rotary machine for the manufacture of straight-line linoleum.

This machine comprises essentially a drum v 51 having die rolls 52 arranged therearound. p

Wl'ebs 53 of linoleum mix are supplied from calenders 54 by belts 55 to the die rolls. The die rolls, as is well known, have knives on their peripheral surfaces which cooperate with platen rolls 56 for cutting the webs into 'pattern elements and scrap. The scrap material is ejected by a pin roll 57 in each die roll and the 1pattern elements are applied to the backing by means of a pin roll 58. The different colors in the pattern are supplied by different die rolls and the main body of the pattern is complete when the material travels over the inspection table 59. If deslred, certain portions of the burlap may be left blank according to the invention4 of John |Wiley, Serial No. 365,625, filed May 24, 1929,' or by any other method; or, if preferred, certain of the pattern elements which are. applied by the die rolls may be stripped ofi' by the inspectors to leave blank spaces in which special figures are to be placed. These ligures with their masks willbe set in bythe operators working alongside the inspection table. In Figure 9 I have illustrated masks M in position.

, The material travels from the inspection table 59 to a roll calender 60 where it is compressed and the pattern elements consolidated with theburlap backing and with one another. `In this calender the masks are pressed into the linoleum or, if the embossing has been previously carried out in a manne-r corresponding to the disclosure of Figure 8, the masks are effective for preserving such embossing.

A curvature is impalted tothe masks as they travel around the roll calender and when the goods is straightened out, as indicated at 61 in Figure 9, the permanent curl imparted to the masks tends tolmake their edges stand up from the goods. They are thus in position to be engaged by cross bar 62 which strips the masks from the material and drops them into a receiving trough 63.

It is not necessary that the mask be employed` with special dropped-in figures. They may be used for embossing plain squares or other shapes which may be setin by hand or applied by the rotary machine, as desired.

As best shown in Figure 1, the successive 5 areas in which the special figures are placed are all of the same exterior size and shape in any given row. In Figure 1 the special areas are all squares of the same size. It will rbe understood, however, that this is by way of o illustration only and that various other sizes or shapes may be employeddepending upon the particular design being produced. v

The edges of the masks may be rounded, as

indicated at 1n Figure 8, so as to impart .15 roundness to the edges of the depressions formed by the masks, or the masks may be otherwise shaped to determine the contour of the embossed portions.

In the rotary machine, asin the molded inlaid machine, there has heretofore been a definite limitation on the length of the pattern, for the circumference of the die rolls employed is 54 inches and this circumference determines the maximum repeat length in a rotary machine as ordinarily operated. By my invention, therefore, this definite limitation on the pattern length is removed. The masks employed lmay be of almost any size or configuration and the repeat length of the pattern, considered as a whole, is no longer imposed by the machine employed but is determined bythe will of the designer or the operator. The sameness of the patterns is eliminated and instead of a single design element repeating itself indefinitely in a line longitudinally of the material, various figures may be provided in any desired sequence. This is of particular value when the linoleum is laid on floors of large area.

I have illustrated and described certain preferred forms of the invention as applied to different manufacturing processes. It will be understood, however, that this is by way of illustration only and that the invention 5 is not limited to the forms shown but may be otherwise embodied or practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering,vthe steps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material, placing a mask over at least a portion of the surface thereof, and then compressing the material.

2. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material,

placing a perforated mask over at least a portion of the surface thereof, and then cornpressing the material.

3. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material, placing a mask of a thickness substantially c; equal to the desired embossing depth over at least a portion of the surface thereof, andv then com ressing the material.

4. In 't e manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material madefup of a plurality of design elements, placing a mask over a design element, and then compressing the material. 5. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material made up of a plurality of design elements, at least one of which comprises a plurality of portions of different shades or colors, placing a mask over one of theshades or colors o the last-mentioned design element, and then compressing the material so as to depress the portion of such shade or color below an adjacent portion.

6. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material made up of a plurality of design elements, at least one of which comprises a plurality of portions of different shades or colors, placing a mask over one of the shades or colors of the last-mentioned design element, While` leaving unmasked an adjacent portion in said llast-mentioned design element and of another shade or color, and then compressing the material so as to depress the portion of such shade or color below an adjacent portion.

7. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting informing a sheet of material, inserting preformed design elements therein, placin a mask over at least a portion of an'inserte deslign element, and compressing the mater1a 8. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of material with openings at intervals therein, inserting preformed design elements in such openings, placing a mask over at least a portion of an inserted design element, and compressing the material.

9. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of material, inserting preformed design elements therein, different design elements being of a different decorative effect, placing masks over such elements, the masks being of a configuration to corre.- spond to the different designs, and compressing the material.

10. In the' manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of material, inserting preformed design elements therein, different design elements being of a different decorative effect, placing masks over such elements, the masks being of a configuration to correspond to the different designs, and compressf so ing the material, the inserted design elements'of a given kind repeating at lntervals greater than 54 inches.

Y 11. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced iexible covering, thesteps consistries being of substantialllly the same size and shape but presentlng di erent visual effects, applying different masks over different design elements in the series, and compressing the material.

13. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced iiexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of material having at spaced intervals a series of special design elements, the s ecial design elements of the series being o substantially the same size and shape, applying different masks over dierent design elements in the series, and compressing the material.

14. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, thel steps consisting in laying color over a backing to form the desired design, placing a mask over atleast a portion of the design, and compressing thev material.

15. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, the steps consisting in laying color over a backing to form a portion yof thel desired design, fitting in preformed design elements, placing masks over at least a portion of the elements and compressing the material.

16. In `the method 'of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, the steps consisting in laying color` over a backing to form the desired design, masking a portion of the pattern, compressing all of the material so as to consolidate the same, and then embossing portions of the material surrounding the masked portion.

17. In the methodof making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, the steps consistingl in laying color over a backing to form the desired design, masking a portion of `the pattern, compressing all of the material so as to Consolidate the same, embossing portions ofthe material surrounding the masked portion, and leaving the mask in place during such embossing.

18. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, the steps consisting in laying color over a backing to form the desired design, setting preformed design elements made up of a plurality of shades or colors, placing masks over said preformed design elements, the configuration of the mas s corresponding to the design thereof, and compressing the material.

19. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or .the like, the steps consisting in laying color over a backin to form the desired design but leaving the acking exposed at intervals, setting in preformed design elements, placing a mask over at least a portion of the design, and compressing the material. 20. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, the steps consisting in 'f laying color over a backing to form the desired design but leaving the backing exposed at intervals, setting in preformed design elements, placing a mask over at least a portion of the design, and compressing the material, the set-in design elements repeating at an interval greater than the width of the press.

21. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, the steps consisting in laying color over a backing to form the the non-adherent backing, placing them in the uncovered areas of the first-mentioned backing, laying masks over the preliminarily compressed design elements, and compressing the material.

' 23. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced iexible covering, the steps consisting in laying color over a backing to form the desired design setting in preformed embossed design elements With'masks filling the embossed portions, and compressing the material.

24:.v In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material having openings therein, placing preformed embossed design elements in the opening with masks filling the embossed portions, and then consolidating the material.

25.` In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in laying material over a backing to form the body of the covering but leaving portions of the backing exposed, filling in the exposed portions wit preformed design elements,

desired design, leaving portions of the backa0 elements thus formed, stripping them froml applyin masks thereto and compressing the materia 26. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced fiexible covering, the steps consisting in appl `ng material to a backing to form the body o the flexible covering but leaving certain portions of the backing exposed, settingy in preformed embossed design elements having masks l 'ng inthe embossed portions, and consolidating the material. 27. A mask for embossing fiexible hard surfaced coverings comprising a. sheet of material of the shape it is desired to emboss and of a thickness corres onding generally 'to .the desired embossing epth.

28. A mask for embossing flexible hard surfaced coverings comprising a perforated sheet of material of the shape it is desired to emboss and of a thickness corresponding generally to the desired embossing depth.

29. A mask for embossing flexible hard surfaced coverings comprising a sheet of metal of the shape it is desired to emboss and of a thickness corresponding generally to the desired embossing depth.

30. A mask for embossing flexible hard surfaced coverings comprising a sheet of soft ductile metal of the shape it is desired to emboss and of a thickness corresponding generally to the desired embossing depth.

31. In combination, compressing means for consolidating fiexible hard surfaced covering material, and a mask adapted to be laid over the material to be compressed and there engaged by the compressing means.

32. In combination, compressing means for consolidating flexible hard surfaced covering material, and a mask adapted to be laid over the material to be compressed and there engaged by the compressing means, that portion at least of the compressing means which engages the mask being smooth faced.

33. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum or A the like comprising stencils adapted for the laying of color on a backing, a press for the formed material and a mask adapted to be laid on the material and engaged by the press.

34. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum or the like comprising stencils adapted for the laying of color on a backing,

a making press for consolidating the materi an embossing press, and a mask adapted to to be laid on the material and engaged by a press.

35. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum or the like comprising stencils adapted for the laying of color on a backing, a making press for consolidating the material, an em ossing press, and a mask adapted to to be laid on the material and engaged by a press, the embossing press having ribs for embossing the material but having a smooth face for engaging the mask.

36. Apparatus for making molded inlaid adapted to leave successive areas of the back-J ing uncovered and adapted for the insertion of' preformed design elements of substantially the same size and shape, and a plurality of masks of different design adapted to be laid over said inserted preformed design elements.

38. Apparatusvfor making molded inlaid linoleum or the like comprising Istencils adapted for the laying of color on a backing but adapted to leave successive areas of the backing vuncovered and adapted for the insertion of preformed design elements, a plurality of masks of different design adapted to' be laid over said inserted preformed design elements, and an embossing press arranged t0 leave unembossed the uncovered areas.

39. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum having special figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material, different figures in a row being of different design.

40. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum having special figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material and equally spaced, successive figures in a row beingof different configuration.

41. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum having special figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material, different figures in a row being of different design, the several figures in a row bein of substantially the same exterior size and shape.

42. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum having special figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material, different figures in a row being of different design, the figures being embossed.

43. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum having special figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material, different figures in a row bein of dif- -ferent design the figures being em ossed in different configurations.

44. As a new article of manufacture, a flexible hard surfaced covering having special multi-colored or multi-shaded figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material, different figures in a row being of different configuration.

45. As a new article of manufacture,a fiexible hard surfaced covering having special multi-colored or multi-shaded figures ary Langeac) ranged in rows longitudinally of the material,diii'erent figures in a row being of dfferent configuration, the special figures of a given design repeating at intervals greater than 54 inches.

46. As a new article of manufacture, a flexible hard surfaced covering having special` figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material, the figures being embossed, different figures in'a row being embossed in dilerent designs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. v

WALTER F. .KAUFMAN

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