Eleventhly, “My invention consists in making cards for carding cotton and other fibrous materials, in manner following—I make the backs either of gutta-percha alone, spread in a plastic state to a sufficient thickness on a cloth, or felt, or other suitable foundation, or of any of the gutta-percha compounds which are of sufficient flexibility and consistence for the purpose. And I insert the metal teeth in these backs, according to any of the known methods followed in the manufacture of such cards.”
Twelfthly, “My invention consists in mixing with the gutta-percha prepared in the manner first hereinbefore described and exemplified in the masticating machine, shellac, or resin, or asphalt, or some other resinous or bituminous matter; and when the materials are thoroughly amalgamated, I spread the mixture while in a fluid state, upon cloth or leather, or any other suitable foundation.
“For low priced articles, I sometimes combine caoutchouc and sulphur with vegetable or Stockholm pitch; and when spread into sheets or made up into other forms, I vulcanize the compound. The proportions may be varied very considerably, as well as the temperatures at which they are vulcanized; but I find the following to answer well: 8 parts caoutchouc, 2 sulphur, 3 pitch; or 8 parts caoutchouc, 2 sulphur, 1 pitch, submitted to a temperature of 290° for an hour. To prevent blistering and porosity, if necessary, I employ pressure by means of screw cramps and plates, or otherwise, during the vulcanizing. This material is applicable to railway packing, and other rough uses.
“I also combine and vulcanize in the same manner caoutchouc, sulphur, and resins, preferring on account of its cheapness the common resin of commerce. The proportions and temperature, as in the case of pitch, may be varied; but the following I find to be useful for many purposes: 16 parts caoutchouc, 2 parts sulphur, 6 parts resin; or 16 caoutchouc, 4 sulphur, 2 resin. These compounds may be submitted to the same treatment as in the case of pitch, and are applicable to similar uses. For some purposes, I also combine caoutchouc and sulphur with wood or cork dust, or fibrous substances, such as hemp and flax, or any other suitable material cut into short lengths, and vulcanize such compounds, either in blocks, or spread, or otherwise wrought into sheets, or formed into figures, or embossed, or ornamented as before described.”
The following account of “Parke’s Improvements in Dyeing” will be found to be very important:
I will now proceed to describe another part of my invention, which consists in dyeing caoutchouc and gutta-percha alone, or in combination; and afterwards, when desired, treating those matters by changing agents, according to either of the methods herein described.
To dye caoutchouc, or gutta-percha, or their compounds, black, I boil the same from a quarter of an hour to half an hour in the following preparation: I take one pound of sulphate of copper dissolved in one gallon of water, one pound of caustic ammonia, or muriate of ammonia; or I take and boil one pound of sulphate or bisulphate of potash, and half a pound of sulphate of copper with one gallon of water. To dye caoutchouc, or gutta-percha, or their compounds, green, I take one pound of muriate of ammonia, half a pound of sulphate of copper, two pounds of caustic lime, and one gallon of water, and boil as before, from quarter to half an hour. Another dye producing a purple tinge, I obtain by using one pound of sulphate or bisulphate of potash, a quarter of a pound of sulphate of copper, and a quarter of a pound of sulphate of indigo, and boil the caoutchouc, or gutta-percha, or compounds, from one quarter to half an hour. The depth of color may be varied by varying the proportion of the ingredients used. When it is wished to color caoutchouc, or gutta-percha, or their compounds, I employ the following colors, but do not confine myself thereto, nor do I make any claim to the same. For blue, those known in commerce as Victoria blue and ultramarine. For red, vermillion, carmine or rose lake. For green, Brunswick green or acetate of copper. For yellow, chrome yellow or oxide uranium. For white, the color known as satin white; and I prefer generally to use this color as a ground for the colors above named, and I would here observe, that the coloring processes precede those for “the change.”