US2306293A - Method of manufacturing molded inlaid linoleum - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet l J. L. BERGER I I ula IJIIIII .I-TJIFII" tll l l hb I I I fll al l l uql l l l I Dec; 22, 1942.

I METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MOLDED INLAID LINQLEUM.

Original Filed Dec. 16, 1935 Dec. 22 1942. J. L. BEVRGER 2,306,293

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MOLDED INLAID LINOLETLIM Original Filed Dec. 16, 1935 ,4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 22, 1942. J. L. BERGER METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MOLDED INLAID LINOLEUM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Dec. 16, 1935 Patented Dec. 22, 1942* METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MOLDED INLAID LINOLEUM John L. Berger, Columbia, Pa., assignor to Arm strong Cork Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corpo ration of Pennsylvania Original application December 16, 1935, Serial No. 54,739. Divided and this application July 23, 1940, Serial No. 347,030

6 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 54,739, filed December 16, 1935, now Patent No. 2,241,051, said copending application being in part a continuation of my application, Serial No. 617,165, filed June 14, 1932, now Patent No. 2,024,203.

This invention relates to a method for the manfacture of molded inlaid linoleum or similar inlaid material formed by strickling comminuted inlaying composition through a stencil opening.

The common practice in the linoleum industry in the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum is to apply the comminuted linoleum mix through stencils provided with appropriate openings defining pattern elements or portions thereof, the mix being applied through the stencil openings onto a backing by operators who brush the mix through the stencil openings with metal scrapers. After each stenciling operation the backing with the applied composition is moved forward to the next stenciling station and the operation repeated until the entire surface area of the backing is covered with loose, comminuted inlaying composition in which adjacent pattern elements lie in contiguous relationship and are defined by an irregular line due to the granular nature of the mix. This loose mix is subsequently consolidated to form a homogeneous layer secured to the backing or foundation. If the binder employed so require, the material is cured by stoving in the usual manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method which will insure that all of the stencil openings, regardless of their size and shape, will be completely and uniformly filled and compacted. Pattern openings defining an area into which color is to be applied, which openings are relatively narrow in a direction transversely of the direction of travel of the strickling mechanism, are difficult to fill since the composition has a tendency to bridge over the stencil opening and is removed by the scavenger blade, resulting in a web in which certain portions of the applied inlaid layer are not of the same density or thickness as the other portions of the pattern. In some instances, failure of the stricklers to completely fill the stencil openings will result in the backing being left exposed in those portions where the composition has bridged the stencil opening, known as skippers.

In the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum, it has been found necessary to space the successive stencils, used in the formation of the various pattern elements, sequentially a greater distance away from the backing in order to compensate for the thickness of the stencil plate.

This is occasioned by reason of the fact that the first color applied through a stencil is of a thickness equivalent to the distance between the upper face of the stencil and the surface of the backing, since the stencil opening is completely filled and the color composition lies in a plane parallel with the top surface thereof. In the application of inlaying composition through the second stencil, the lower face of the stencil plate will lie in engagement with the upper surface of the previously applied pattern elements and the composition applied through the second stencil will, therefore, lie above the plane of the first applied pattern element a distance equivalent to the thickness of the stencil plate.

It will be obvious that with a twelve color pattern, utilizing twelve stencils, for example, the thickness of the pattern elements applied by the last stencils will, prior to final compression, be materially greater than that of the elements formed by the first of the series of stencils. This results in non-uniform densities in the finished product and often causes the line of juncture between pattern elements to be unduly irregular since the inlaying composition of those elements which lie above the plane of other of the elements will be moved laterally upon the application of pressure and will irregularly overlie the other elements due to distortion,

It is an object of my invention to overcome this difliculty and to provide a mechanical strickler which will form all of the pattern elements of substantially the same thickness and density, regardless of the position of the stencil'on the machine. I provide a device which will remove substantially all inlaying composition lying within the stencil opening and above the plane of the lower surface of the stencil plate.

My invention will be readily understood when considered in conjunction with the attached drawings which illustrate a present preferred embodiment of my invention and certain modifications thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved strickling mechanism mounted for operation upon a stencil plate;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my strickling mechanism;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Figure 2, showing the depositing mechanism;

Figure 4 is a detailed view illustrating the oper ation of the composition removing brush;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line VV of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a top plan view illustrating a modification of my strickling mechanism;

Figure 8 is a front elevation of the modification of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a side view showing the drive mechanism for the strickler of Figures 7 and 8; and

Figure 10 is a detailed view showing the current pick-up mechanism for the composition removing brush driving motor.

Referring to Figure 1, which illustrates a strickler representing a preferred embodiment of my invention, there is shown a plurality of strickling blades 2 securedto chains 3 mounted for travel in a closed path about pairs of sprockets 4 and 5, secured to shafts 6 and 1 respectively. The strickling blades 2 are mounted for passage over a stencil plate 3 which lies transversely of alongitudinally extending inlaying table generally indicated at 9. This table is of the general construction commonly employed in the linoleum industry and comprises essentially a bed IU- over which the strickler units are mounted transversely thereof. A slat conveyor I is provided to move a fabric backing i2 longitudinally in intermittent steps under the stencil plate 8 of each strickling unit. Side rails l3 extend longitudinally substantially the entire length of the machine and are arranged for vertical motion. The stencils and the strickling units are positioned on these rails and move coincidentally therewith; the rails being elevated after each stenciling operation to permit movement of the backing therebeneath to present a fresh portion thereof for the application of inlays thereto through appropriate stencil openings.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, eight strickling blades 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2;, 2g, and 271. are provided in two series of four each; the first four blades being spaced from the second series on the conveyor chain as shown in Figure 1. Each blade is secured to a supporting member I4 in the form of an angle iron and this angle iron is in turn secured to end plates 15. Studs l6 (Figure 2), forming part of the chain 3, are fastened to the end plates 15. An arcuate brace ll extending between the end plates I5 is found desirable to rigidify the structure. The brace I! may also serve as a bucket to convey excess composition back to a feed hopper, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

Motion is imparted to the chain 3 by means of a geared head motor 18 suitably mounted upon the main frame of the strickler. Themotor I 8 drives shaft 1 which is keyed to the sprocket 5 and imparts a counterclockwise motion to the chain 3 and the stricklers 2 (Figure l) A measured amount of comminuted inlaying composition is deposited in the path of the strickling blades 2 by means of a feeding device which supplies a uniform amount of color composition transversely of the stencil. This mechanism is best illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 and comprises essentially a hopper l9 mounted upon the frame of the strickler and adapted to hold a relatively large quantity of inlaying composition. The lower portion 20 of the hopper is substantially circular in cross section as shown in Figure 3, and a shaft 2| extends transversely thereof and is coaxial with the portion 26. A plurality of vanes 22 are secured to the shaft 2| and define, with the portion 20, a plurality of pockets 24 adapted to receive comminuted inlaying composition from the hopper l9. Rotation of the shaft 2| is controlled by movement of the chain 3 to provide an arrangement which will insure that the comminuted inlaying composition discharged by the vanes 22 through an open bottom 25 in the hopper IE will be positioned on the stencil plate in the path of the strickling blades 2 at a predetermined time. A ratchet wheel 23 is keyed to shaft 2! and is engaged by a pawl 27 pivoted about a pin 28 which passes through a pair of plates 29 and 30 encas'ing both ratchet 26 and pawl 21. A spring 3| urges pawl 2'? into engagement with ratchet 25. The plates 29 and 30 are pinned together and are pivoted about the shaft 2|. Plate 29 is pinned to a rod 32 which passes through a drilled boss 33 secured to the side of the hopper l9. A compression spring 34 encircles the rod 32 and lies between the boss 33 and a limiting washer 35 positioned on the rod 32. A roller 3B1nounted upon a bracket 31 secured to the chain 3 engages a tongue 38 provided on the plate 29 as the chain 3 moves in the direction of the arrow (Figure 3). Upon engagement of the roller 36 with the tongue 38, clockwise rotation is imparted to the plates 29 and 39 about the shaft 2| and pawl 27 engages ratchet 26 and imparts clockwise rotation thereto. The movement imparted by each roller 36 is sufficient to rotate the feeding mechanism V5 of a revolution to thus discharge the comminuted inlaying composition confined in a pocket 2 3 defined by the vanes 22. Rotation of the plate 23 compresses spring 33 and, after roller 36 and tongue 3 f disengage, spring 34 acts against the washer 35 to return rod 32 and plate 29 to their original position; the pawl 27 riding over the ratchet 26. A spring 39 is provided as a shock absorber to prevent excessive jarring upon return of the rod 32 and plates 29 and 30 to their normal position. As many rollers 36 are provided as are found necessary to rotate the feeding mechanism to discharge an amount of color sufficient to fill all of the stencil openings. The amount of color to be discharged will be determined by the area of the stencil openings and the thickness of the material being made. It is essential, therefore, that means be provided for quickly varying the amount of color composition supplied by the feeding mechanism. With the device shown in Figure 3 it is only necessary to clamp on a bracket 37 carrying its roller 36 at the desired location on the chain 3 and additional color composition will be fed upon rotation of the chain.

It is generally desirable to feed suflicient color composition to the stencil to insure that all of the stencil openings will be completely filled and in order to provide composition which may be compressed in the openings.

As pointed out above, it has been found that it is difficult to completely fill the openings in a stencil if they are relatively narrow in a direction transversely of the direction of travel of the strickler blades 2. In order to overcome this difiiculty, I provide at least two series of strickling blades and supply color composition in the path of travel of each series. Satisfactory results have been obtained when utilizing four blades in each series; the blade 2a being spaced from the stencil 8 and positioned at an angle of 20 with respect thereto when in strickling position, and serving to spread the comminuted inlaying composition in an even layer over the stencil plate and through the openings therein. Blade 21), which serves to further filland compress the color composition in a stencil opening, is preferably positioned at an angle of with respect to the stencil and is not spaced materially from the surface of the plate. Blade is positioned at an angle of about 10 with respect to the stencil plate and serves to fill and compress inlaying composition in the stencil openings. A scavenger blade 2d is provided to remove excess color composition from the stencil plate and to remove any inlaying composition which lies above the plane of the opening in the stencil. It will be'observed that in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 two discharging rollers are provided in advance of the first series of blades and one discharging roller is provided in advance of the second series of blades. The second series of blades is provided primarily to assure that all the stencil openings will be adequately filled and properly com pressed. The blade 2e may be set at an angle of 20 with respect to the surface of the stencil 8; blade 2] at 15, blade 29' at 10 and blade 2h,

serving as a scavenger blade to remove excess y composition in the same manner as blade 21), at 90". In certain patterns it may be found desirable to vary the angularity of the blades, particularly in the second series, in order to effect proper compression of the material in the stencil openings.

The scavenger blades 2d and 2h may be spring urged in order that they yieldingly engage the surface of the stencil plate 8 and also the arcuate surface of the guard M to insure that-all color composition in excess of that required will be removed from a stencil and from the guard and returned to the feed hopper l9. It will be noted that the blades 2d and 2h are mounted upon angle irons M which are connected to the arcuate supports I l by members 42, forming buckets which are adapted to convey inlaying composition removed by the scavenger blades. The composition is deposited in the buckets upon rotation of the scavenger blades to a vertical position above the stencil. The color composition accumulated in the bucket is discharged into the hopper Is as the buckets rotate about the sprockets 4. Composition is prevented from dropping onto the stencil by guard plate 43 which extends over substantially the entire strickling unit between the sprockets i and 5. A hinged scraper 44 is provided on each of the scavenger buckets and serves to convey color composition from the guard 43 into the hopper H as the blades move thereover during each stenciling operation.

From the foregoing it will be observed that a predetermined amount of comminuted inlaying composition is positioned in the path of travel of the first series of strickling blades which fill at least a portion of the stencil openings and compresses the inlaying composition therein; that additional composition is positioned in the path of travel of a second series of blades and that these blades serve to completely fill the stencil openings and to compress the inlaying composition therein; that a scavenger is provided which removes all excess composition from the surface of the stencil plate and removes any excess linoleum composition which may lie in the stencil openings, but which, by reason of expansion, extends above the plane of the surface of the stencil plate.

It is desirable to have each of the pattern elements composed of inlaying composition of substantially the same character and to have the same volume per unit area applied over substantially the entire surface ofthe base fabric. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that by compressing the linoleum composition into the stencil openings and then removing the excess which lies above the plane of the surface of the stencil plate that the thickness of the compositi-on will be determined by the distance from the surface of the stencil engaged by the strickler blades and the surface of the fabric and that upon each successive strickling operation the thickness of the applied composition layer will increase in an amount equivalent to the thick-' ness of a stencil plate. In order to overcome this objection, it has been found necessary to decrease the density of the inlaying composition progressively from the first inlaying step to the last. This has entailed close control of the characteristics of the composition and has been found commercially unattractive. In Figure 4, the areas 55 have been previously strickled and the backing l2 has been positioned with stencil 8 overlying the areas 45. The stencil 8 is provided with openings it, 41 and 48 continguous to the elements 55. It will be noted that the inlaying composition occupying the area defined by the opening 18 lies above the plane of the composition if in an amount equivalent to the thickness of the stencil B. (The thickness of the stencil is shown to exaggerated scale for clarity.) I have found that, by removing some of the composition from the stencil openings at each stenciling operation, the difiiculties of unequal density heretofore encountered may be obviated and a uniform product produced from inlaying composition of the same density.

I have found that a rotating brush is admirably suited to remove composition which has been applied through and compressed in the stencil openings. A brush and its associated mechanism, illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention, is shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 and comprises a cylindrical hair brush 49 secured to and mounted for rotation with a shaft 50. The bristles on the brush are made of relatively stiff hair and are set closely together to form a substantially continuous yielding peripheral surface. Rotary motion is imparted to the brush by means of a motor 5! driving through sprockets 52 and 53 by means of a chain 54. The sprocket 53 is secured to the brush shaft 5!) which is journaled in a bearing 55 formed in a casing 56 which is secured to the motor 5! by means of bolts 51 passing through lugs on the casing and into the motor housing. The brush unit is mounted for movement in a closed path with the strickler mechanism and is positioned for operation after the stricklers have filled and compressed the inlaying composition within the stencil openings. The brush and driving unit are mounted on the chains 3 by gudgeons 58 passing through rollers 59 of the chain 3. The left hand gudgeon 58 (Figure 5) is fitted into a boss 60 formed on the housing of the motor 5!. A similar gudgeon BI is provided and is fitted into a boss 62 on the other side of the motor housing. A pipe 63 extends parallel to the brush to the other side of the strickler frame. A support 64 is pinned to the pipe 63 and accommodates the gudgeon 6| which is keyed therein. The pipe 63 is pinned to the right hand gudgeon 58, above referred to. A plate 65 is secured to the right hand gudgeon 58 and serves as a support for the bearin for the shaft 50 of the brush 49.

It will be observed that the rollers 59 of the chain 3 run on tracks 66 formed in frame channel 61 and that movement of the rollers 59 away from the track 66 which would result in movement of the strickler blades and brush away from the stencil plate 8 is obviated by means of guide members 68 which are in the form of angle irons secured to the frame member 61. By reference to Figure 1, it will be noted that the members 68 extend substantially the entire length of the machine to prevent upward movement of the rollers 59 of the chain 3 during their travel across the stencil plate 8.

A mechanism for adjusting the position of the brush with respect to the stencil plate is shown in Figures 5 and 6 and comprises an arm 69 which is provided with a drilled boss 19 encircling the gudgeon 58 and pinned thereto by a pin II. A side plate 12 encircles the gudgeon 58 and is revolvable thereabout. A pin 13 passes through slotted opening 14 in the plate I2 and serves as a support for the brush mechanism, the pin I3 passing through and forming a bearing for one of the rollers of the chain 3. The side plate 12 is provided with an integral boss 15 through which passes a threaded stud 76 which is capable ofv rotation without translation within the boss 15. A threaded block 1'! lies intermediate the face plate "I2 and the arm 69 and has integral studs I8 and I8 extending therefrom. The stud 16 is threaded into the block I1. One stud 18 passes through an opening in the arm 69 and is held therein by the nut I9. The other 18' passes through a slotted opening 89 in the plate 12 and is provided with a clamp nut SI. Adjustment of the brush with respect to the stencil is effected by turning the stud i6 within the block TI; first having loosened the clamp nut 8i. Rotation of the stud which is held against translation by the boss I5 on the plate 13 will cause the arm 69 to rotate about the gudgeon 53 and since the arm 69 is secured directly to the motor housing which is also rotatable about the gudgeon 58 movement of the brush 49 toward and away from the stencil plate 8 may be conveniently effected in any desired amount.

It will be noted by reference to Figure 4 that the bristles of the brush s9 enter the stencil opening and brush the comminuted composition therefrom. It will be observed that the inlaid composition within stencil opening 46 has been reduced to the same level as the lower surface of the stencil plate 8; that the inlaid composition in opening 97 has been partially leveled and that the composition in opening 48 has not been operated upon by the brush and lies level with the upper surface of the stencil 8. The brush 49 carries the composition which has been removed from the stencil openings in a bank B away from the stencil plate. This composition is subsequently discharged into the feed hopper by the scavenger blades 2d and 2h and scrapers 44.

In order to supply current to the motor 5| during movement of the brush 49 over the stencil plate 8, I provide a trolley type pick-up system which is best illustrated in Figures 5 and 10. Figure 1 also shows the positioning of the trolleys with respect to the brush. In order to eliminate brushes in the motor and thus obviate considerable maintenance expense, the motor 5! may be of the three phase type with one lead grounded to the machine. A wooden frame member 82 extends longitudinally of the machine and is supported by an angle iron frame 83 which is fastened to the main frame of the strickler unit. The member 82 is recessed on its lower surface and is provided with channels, receiving conducting tracks 84 and 85 which are connected to a suitable source of current for the motor 5|.

It is desirable to have the brush rotating at full speed at the time it contacts with the stencil plate, and, since it is impracticable to carry the conducting rails in an are about the sprockets 4, I prefer to provide two sets of pickup trolleys, one of which lies in advance of the brush to provide current to the motor priorto the time the brush comes into engagement with the stencil plate 8 (it should be borne in mind that the rate of travel of the brush over the stencil is relatively high), and a second trolley positioned rearwardly of the brush to insure rotation thereof during movement over the entire of the stencil. Each trolley is carried by the chain 3 and comprises a pair of collector wheels 89 and 9! engageable respectively with the tracks 85 and 85. The collector wheel 86 is mounted on shaft 93, journaled in a frame member 89 which is pivoted to a pin 99 forming part of the chain 3. The wheel 87 is similarly mounted. Collector wheel 86 is spring urged into contact with its track 84 by means of a spring 9| which encircles a rod 92 fixed to a bracket 93 secured to a pin 94 of the chain 3. Spring 9| urges a frame member 89 to pivot about the pin 99. The same construction is used for wheel 3?. The spring 9! is positioned between the bracket 93 and a washer 95 lying in engagement with the frame member 89 and is normally under compression when the collector wheel is in engagement with the track. A washer 96 and a pin 9'! are provided to limit movement of the frame member 99 when the contacting wheels leave their respective tracks. The current picked up by the collector wheels 86 and El is fed through a dual conductor 98 to the motor 5|.

I prefer to have the machine fully automatic in operation and for that purpose a master switch is provided which is efiective for controlling the motor I8 for each of the individual striclzlt ng units that may be employed upon the molding machine. Individual switches may be provided for each unit if desired as shown in my copending patent application above referred to. Even though each of the units be controlled by a master switch for starting, I prefer to have individual switches for stopping the units after they have finished their course of travel over the stencil plate. For this purpose (Figure 1) I provide a switch 99 having an arm I99 which upon movement opens and closes the circuit for motor IS. A depending link I9! is pivoted to the arm I99 and carries a shoe I92 lying above the chain 3 and adapted for engagement with a roller I93 mounted upon the chain 3. The roller I93 coming into engagement with the arm I92 causes the switch 99 to interrupt the supply of current to the motor [8 and the movement of the stricklers is stopped. It will be noted that the roller I 93 has passed under the shoe I02 after the current has been broken; this being due to the momentum of the moving parts causing the chains 3 to move about the sprockets after the current supply for the motor has been broken. Due to the weight of the stricklers 2 2g and 2h, which are positioned about the sprocket when the strickler is in nonoperative position, they may tend to move downwardly and thus cause the brush to move back onto the stencil plate. In order to obviate this, a ratchet wheel I04 is provided on the shaft 6 and is provided with a pawl I04 which prevents clockwise rotation of the sprocket 4 (Figure 1) but permits counter-clockwise rotation. This insures that the stricklers will remain in the position shown in Figure 1 upon the completion of each 'strickling operation.

According to my preferred method, commi nuted inlaying com-positionis fed from the hopper I9 onto the stencil 8 in the path of the first series of stricklers. These stricklers at least partially fill the stencil openings and compact the material therein. Additional inlaying composition is fed from the hopper I9 into the path of travel of the second series of stricklers, and these stricklers serve to completely fill the stencil openings and compress the material therein. fhe brush 49 passes over the stencil and its bristles enter the stencil openings and brush out a portion of the inlaying composition therein. These operations are carried on simultaneously in each of the stencils utilized to form a completed pattern; one stencil being employed generally for each color. By this method each of the color compositions will be of the same thickness from the base fabric to the top surface and thus uneven density in the final prodnot will be obviated and the problem of controlling the density of the mix for each different color is eliminated.

Each strickler serves to lay and compress a given portion of the entire pattern and after each stenciling operation the stencil and strickling mechanism are elevated away from the backing and the backing is moved by the conveyor along the bed and a fresh portion is presented for the deposition of additional inlaying composition thereon.

The compression effected by the strickler blades is not the final compression. The backing with the applied inlays is moved to a suitable press where the final consolidation is ef fected. The material may be subsequently cured if required.

In certain patterns it has been found satisfactory to utilize a single series of blades togethed with the rotating brush. The number of blades employed and the amount of color composition deposited in their path depends to a large extent upon the area to be filled by each individual stencil and the thickness of the material being made, as well as the configuration of the pattern openings.

In place of the strickling blades, I may employ a strickling device of the type shown in in Figures '7, 8 and 9, which comprises a pair of helically wound wire stricklers I05 and I86, the helices of the stricklers I05 and IE6 being of opposite hand and the pitch being greater than the wire diameter. These stricklers are mounted in gudgeons I01, I98, I09, and I!!! and are adapted to rotate in suitable bearings provided in the frame members I II and I I2. These frame members are carried by the chain 3 being secured thereto by pins H3, H4, H5, and IE6 forming part of the roller chain. Rotation is imparted to the stricklers I85 and I06 by a motor IN. A sprocket [I8 is secured to the armature shaft of the motor and drives a chain H9 which encircles a sprocket I20 revolvable on a stud fixed to the frame member II2. This sprocket I20 has a double set of teeth and a chain l2! drives therefrom and imparts motion to sprockets I22 and I 23 secured to the gudgeons I08 and I89 of the stricklers I95 and I06. A guard member IN is positioned to the rear of the stricklers I and 1 56 (Figure 9) and has a top I25 extending over the top of the stricklers and forms a travelling scoop for inlaying com position.

In the operation of this type of strickler, inlaying composition I26 is fed in the path of travel of stricklers I05 and IE6 and is carried with the scoop formed of the plates I24 and I25 as shown in Figure 9. The strickler I05 is formed in a left hand helix while the strickler I06 is formed in a right hand helix. The strickler unit moves in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 9 and the stricklers rotate in a clockwise direction (Figure 9). The inlaying composition I26 as shown in Figure 9 becomes entrapped within the scoop I24-I'25 and the stricklers rotate therein and cause the color composition to be forced into the openings in the stencil plate 8; the right hand helix tending to convey the inlaying composition toward the right and be opposed by the left hand helix which tends to convey the color to the left (Figure 7). This agitates the composition and causes it to pass through the stencil openings onto the backing which is supported therebeneath.

If it is desired to compress the composition in the stencil openings, compressing strickler blades may be provided on the conveying chain and will serve to compress the composition applied through the stencil openings by the wire stricklers. A nevolvable brush such as that disclosed in the preferred embodiment may also be employed to remove color from the stencil openings. It has been found, however, that the wire type stricklers form an inlaid product which, prior to compression, very closely simulates hand stenciled material. In any event a scavenger blade should beprovided to remove excess color composition, if the guard I24 does not completely remove all excess color composition from the stencil plate.

An adjusting device for the stricklers I05 and I06 may be employed and this may take the form of an adjusting device similar to that described in connection with the rotating brush. Any adjusting mechanism which permits the distance between the surface of the stencil plate and the stricklers to be predetermined will be satisfactory, however.

While I have described certain specific preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the form shown and described but may be otherwise embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim: 1. In a method of stencilling comminuted inlaying composition, the steps comprising feeding opening, removing from the deposited composition a portion thereof lying within the stencil opening below the plane of the upper surface of the stencil plate to reduce the thickness of the inlaying composition, depositing comminuted inlaying composition through a stencil opening onto another area of the backing contiguous to the first laid composition but to a thickness greater than that of the first laid composition after reduction in thickness, and thereafter removing from the second laid composition a portion thereof to reduce the thickness of the second laid composition to substantially that of the first laid composition after reduction.

3. In a method of stencilling comminuted inlaying composition, the steps comprising feeding comminuted inlaying composition through a stencil opening, compressing the composition therein, and thereafter brushing out the inlaying composition lying within the stencil opening below the plane of the upper surface of the stencil to remove a substantial portion of the deposited inlaying composition lying above the plane of the lower surface of the stencil and reduce the thickness of the inlaying composition deposited there- 1n.

4. In a method of making molded inlaid linoleum, the steps comprising strickling comminuted inlaying composition through a st ncil opening onto a backing, depositing comminuted inlaying composition onto an arear of the backing contiguous to the previously deposited composition but to a thickness greater than that of the first laid composition, removing from the last deposited composition a portion thereof to reduce the thickness of the same to substantially that of the previously deposited composition, and thereafter consolidating the contiguous areas of inlaying composition.

5. In a method of making molded inlaid linoleum, the steps comprising depositing inlaying composition onto one area of a backing through a stencil opening, engaging the inlaying composition lying within the stencil opening below the plane of the upper surface of the stencil to remove from the deposited composition substantially all of the same lying within the stencil opening above the plane of the lower surface of the stencil and reduce the thickness of the inlaying composition deposited therein, depositing additional comminuted inlaying composition through another stencil opening onto another area of the backing with the stencil overlying a previously applied and reduced area of inlaying composition, removing from the additional deposited composition substantially all of the same lying within the said second stencil opening above the plane of the lower surface of the stencil to reduce the thickness of the same to that of the first laid composition after reduction, and thereafter consolidating both areas.

6. In a method of making molded inlaid linoleum, the steps comprising depositing comminuted inlaying composition through a series of stencils onto separate areas of a backing in a series of successive steps, after each successive depositing step engaging the inlaying composition deposited within the stencil opening below the plane of the upper surface of the stencil to remove from the deposited composition a substantial portion thereof and reduce the thickness thereof to substantially the same thickness as the inlaying composition in all of the previously deposited areas, and thereafter consolidating the deposited inlaying compositions.

JOHN L. BERGER.

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