Improvements in the Treatment of Raw Hide, and the Subsequent Use and Application of the same.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Raw Hide, and the Subsequent
Use and Application of the same.
We, EDWIN THOMAS DAY, Butcher, and THOMAS WILLIAM MATTHEWS
Chemist, both of 50 Chaucer Road, Upton Lane, Forest Gate, in the County of
Essex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
Our invention relates to a new or improved method of or process for curing,
dressing and otherwise treating raw cow, ox, horse, buffalo, and similar hide, for
the purpose of removing therefrom, all fatty and other matter open to decom-
position, and to reduce the said hide to any desired thickness without the need of
splitting or shaving the same, and further, to render the said hide into a plastic
condition, or pliable mass, whereby we are enabled, by the employment of suitable
moulds, dies or other shaping tools or apparatus, to so mould or shape the said
mass prepared according to our invention, as to form therefrom and thereof a
variety of useful articles suitable for domestic, mechanical, commercial and
scientific purposes.
For the purpose of our invention we prepare a bath of dilute muriatic, nitric,
phosphoric, sulphuric or other similar and suitable acids, preferably in the pro-
portion of one part acid to fifty parts or thereabouts of water, the selection of the
acid, and the strength of its solution, being governed to some extent by the texture
or other characteristics of the hide to be treated thereby, and the purposes for
which the prepared hide is to be subsequently employed.
Having cleared the hide of its hairs or bristles by any of the well known means
common to the tanning trade, the hide would be immersed in one or the other of
the acid baths previously mentioned, in which it would be allowed to remain for a
period varying according to the texture and other conditions or nature of the hide,
but generally, for twenty four hours or thereabouts, or until the fatty matter was
dissolved or otherwise removed therefrom, or until sufficiently disintegrated as to
be easily removed by the subsequent treatment to which the hide would be exposed,
as hereinafter provided. If at this stage the hide or hides under treatment is or
are still thicker than necessary for the purposes to which they are intended to be
used, the immersion may be prolonged until the hide or hides have become further
reduced, as we find in practice that the longer the immersion, the more the hide is
reduced in thickness, although its subsequent tenacity is in nowise impaired
thereby.
Upon removal from the acid bath (and may be periodically during its immersion
therein) the hide would be subjected to a process of washing in cold or tepid water,
and would then be immersed in a bath composed of one part or thereabouts of
muriate of ammonia, and ten parts or thereabouts of water, in which it would be
allowed to remain for a period of twenty four hours more or less, when upon
removal a second treatment of cold water may be used if necessary.
It will then be found that the plasticity and pliability of the hide would be
such as to permit this, or any desired portion thereof, to be moulded, shaped or
fashioned into any form, design or contour desired, as easily as would be papier
maché pulp, and when dry, such form, shape or contour would be permanently
retained, and the substance become perfectly hard and unbreakable, and if needed,

page_text: may be rendered perfectly waterproof by painting, varnishing, or enamelling the
same, and be colored or tinted, gilded or otherwise decorated in any manner
desired.
It is obvious that a very large field of uses is open for the employment of the
plastic material thus created, and from the many we may mention, that we may
employ the same and mould therefrom certain parts of bicycles tricycles and similar
machines, such for instance as, mudguards, gear cases, or caps or covers for parts
exposed or open to the reception of dust, or moulded into a strip strips and used as
a puncture proof band for pneumatic tyres, interposed between the gas or air bag
and the outer cover or envelope, or moulded with the latter. Or we may mould or
otherwise employ the said plastic material in the construction of certain surgical
appliances, vases, toys, ornaments, drinking cups, cigar, cigarette and pipe cases,
handbags, portmanteaus, hat and other boxes, picture frames, brackets, etc. etc., or
we may form the same into narrow strips which may be used in place of whalebone
or steel in the manufacture of ladies corsets, abdominal and other belts, and in the
fitting of ladies dresses, and other uses too numerous to mention.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in the Treatment of Raw Hide, and the Subsequent
Use and Application of the same.
We, EDWIN THOMAS DAY, and THOMAS. WILLIAM MATTHEWS, both of
50 Chaucer Road, Upton Lane, Forest Gate, in the County of Essex, Butcher
and Chemist respectively 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 :-
Our invention relates to a new or improved method of, or process for curing,
dressing, and otherwise treating raw cow, ox, horse, buffalo, and similar hides, for
the purpose of removing therefrom, all fatty and other matter open to decom-
position, and to reduce the said hide to any desired thickness, in most cases without
the need of splitting or shaving the same, and further to render the hide into a
plastic condition, or pliable mass, whereby we are enabled, by the employment of
suitable moulds, dies or other shaping tools or apparatus, to so mould or shape the
said mass prepared according to our invention, as to form therefrom and thereof
a variety of useful articles suitable for domestic, mechanical, commercial and
scientific purposes.
For the purposes of our invention we prepare a bath of dilute, muriatic, nitric,
phosphoric, sulphuric or other similar and suitable acids, preferably in the pro-
portion of one part acid to fifty parts or thereabouts of water, the selection of the
acid, and the strength of its solution, being governed, to some extent by the specific
gravity of the acid, and the texture or other characteristics of the hide to be
treated thereby, and the purposes for which the prepared hide is to be subsequently
employed.
Having cleared the hide of its hairs or bristles by any of the well known means
common to the tanning trade, the hide would be immersed in one or the other of
the acid baths previously mentioned, in which it would be allowed to remain for a
period varying according to the texture and other conditions and nature of the
hide, but generally for twenty-four hours or thereabouts, or until the fatty matter
was dissolved or otherwise removed therefrom, or until sufficiently disintegrated as

page_text: to be easily removed by the subsequent treatment to which the hide would be
exposed, as hereinafter explained. If at this stage the hide or hides under treat-
ment is or are still thicker than necessary for the purposes to which they are
intended to be used, the immersion may be prolonged until the hide or hides
have become further reduced, as we find in practice that the longer the immersion,
the more the hide is reduced in thickness, although its subsequent tenacity is in
nowise impaired thereby.
Upon removal from the bath of, whatever acid employed, (and may be
periodically during its immersion therein) the hide would be subjected to a process
of washing in cold or tepid water, and would then (if not sufficiently plastic or
pliable to enable the same to be moulded or fashioned to the shape or contour of
the article to be constructed or formed thereof) be immersed in a bath composed of
one part or thereabouts of muriate of ammonia and ten parts or thereabouts
of water, in which it would be allowed to remain for a period of twenty four
hours, or more or less, until the required degree of pliability or flexability was
attained, when it would be removed from the bath and again washed in cold or
tepid water if necessary.
.
By this treatment, and may be by a repetition of this treatment, the hide would
be reduced to the thickness required, and rendered sufficiently plastic or pliable
that the whole or any desired portion thereof may be moulded, shaped, or fashioned
into any forms, design, or contour, as easily as would be paper mache pulp, and
when dry, such form, shape or contour would be permanently retained, and the
substance become perfectly hard and unbreakable, and may be carved or otherwise
treated with sharp edged tools to correct any imperfections of moulding, and if
needed, may be rendered perfectly waterproof by coating the article thus produced
with any suitable paint, varnish or enamel, or the same may be dyed, colored or
tinted, gilded or otherwise decorated in any manner desired.
We find in practice that the initial bath may be prepared from either of the
acids named or their equivalents with similar results, but that certain acids require
to be further diluted than others for operating upon hides of a given texture, for
instance we find that nitric acid will bear more dilution than muriatic or sulphuric,
while both the latter will stand more dilution than phosphoric, always provided
that these are of the highest specific gravity known, but whatever acid may be
employed we find in practice that the stronger the bath is made the tougher or
more tenacious becomes the finished article made from the hide treated therewith
in the manner stated, and that the longer the immersion in the initial bath the
thinner the hide becomes.
It is obvious that a very large field of uses is open for the employment of the
plastic material thus created but from the many we may mention that, we may
employ the same and mould, or otherwise construct therefrom, mudguards, gear
gases, handle bar-ends, and other parts of bicycles, tricycles and similar machines,
or in the construction of caps or covers for parts of same exposed to dust and dirt,
or in the manufacture of oil cans for cyclists and others. Or we may mould the
said material in a strip and interpose the same longitudinally between the air bag
and the outer cover of detachable pneumatic tyres, or mould or otherwise incorporate
the same with the said outer cover for preventing puncture of the air bag. Or we
may mould or otherwise employ the said plastic material in the construction of
certain surgical appliances, statuettes, vases, toys, buttons or other ornaments,
drinking cups for travellers and others, cigar, cigarettes, and pipe cases, hand bags,
portmanteaus, hat and .cther boxes, picture frames, photograph stands, fancy
brackets etc. etc. Or we may cut or form the said plastic material into narrow
strips which may be used in place of whalebone or steel in the manufacture of
ladies corsets or the filling of their dresses or and abdominal and other belts. Or
we may employ the said plastic material in the moulded or other construction of
fluted or corrugated acid proof envelopes for carboys, Winchester quartz and other
bottles containing acids and other dangerous liquids and in the production of other
articles too numerous to mention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1st. The herein described method of treating raw hides by immersion in suitable
acid baths, and subsequently in a solution of muriate of ammonia, and water, for
rendering the same into a plastic, mouldable or otherwise workable condition
substantially as set forth and explained.
2nd. The plastic material produced by the treatment of raw hides as set forth
in the preceding claim, and the employment of same in the production of useful
articles by moulding, cutting, pressing or carving, with or without being painted,
varnished, enamelled, gilded or otherwise decorated substantially in the manner, and
as and for the purposes herein described.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1805
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.