IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HIDES OR SKINS."
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Stephen Bateson, of Bolton Street, May-
fair, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HIDES OR SKINS."

page_text: turpentine, or from heated glycerine, or from a mixture of all or any of
the above either alone or in conjunction with steam.
The hides or skins must be first placed in a close chamber or suitable
receptacle, which should then be filled by means of any suitable appa-
ratus (although I prefer the apparatus for which Letters Patent were
granted to me on or about the 28th day of April 1871, No. 1137), with
the fumes, vapours, or gases arising from the combustion or the vaporiza-
tion of the above materials. I prefer however to apply the fumes of
sulphurous acid gas in the first instance, and to keep the hides or skins
subjected to them for some time, and afterwards to subject such hides
or skins to the vapours of the other materials, or any of them, either
vaporized simultaneously or in succession, and either alone or in con-
junction with steam. I produce the sulphurous acid gas by the com-
bustion of sulphur, cither burnt in a suitable tray or dish in the
combustion chamber of my above-mentioned patented apparatus or by
the combustion of paper, rags, or other suitable material which has
been previously dipped in sulphur, as described in the Specification of
the above-mentioned Letters Patent. But I prefer to vaporize the other
materials with as little combustion as possible, and I effect this object
in the following manner:-I saturate sawdust or any other suitable
material or vehicle with creosote, heavy oil of tar, carbolic acid, crude
turpentine, glycerine, or with a mixture of one or more of these ingre-
dients, or with one of them alone, and I then place the saturated saw-
dust either above or below on a thin layer of charcoal (or embers of a
similar character) which has been previously ignited on the grating of
the combustion chamber of my above-mentioned patented apparatus.
The rotation of the fan will cause the saturated sawdust or other
material to give up the preservative material or materials in a state of
vapour without destroying their qualities by injurious combustion, as
would be the case if they were actually burnt; and the fumes thus
produced will be loaded with the preservative material or materials in
such a manner that when they are forced or driven into the above-
mentioned close chamber, the preservative material or materials will
eventually be condensed and deposited on every part of the hides or
skins so enclosed, by which means their preservation is effected and their
suppleness insured.
In some cases after the hides or skins are removed from the fumi-
gating chamber they should be further protected by being painted over
with carbolic acid or glycerine or a mixture of both.

page_text: The hides or skins treated as herein-before described may be trans-
ported from great distances and hot climates without risk of putrefaction
or of cracking, and being thus kept soft and pliable are in a much
better condition for tanning or other purposes than is ordinarily the
case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Stephen Bateson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
STEPHEN BATESON, of Bolton Street, Mayfair, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the 36th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Samuel Stephen Bateson, Her special license
that I, the said Samuel Stephen Bateson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Stephen Bateson,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE TREATMENt of Hides or SkINS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Samuel Stephen Bateson, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Stephen Bateson, do hereby.
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by.
the following statement, that is to say :—
My said Invention relates to an improved mode of preserving hides
and skins, and consists in subjecting the same to the fumes of sulphurous

page_text: acid gas either alone or in conjunction with the vapour or vapours
arising from heated creosote, or from heated heavy oil of tar (the creosote
oil of commerce), or from heated carbolic acid, or from heated crude
turpentine, or from heated glycerine, or from a mixture of all or any of
the above.
The hides or skins must be first placed in a chamber or suitable
receptacle which need not be absolutely air-tight but should be provided
with an opening or openings to permit of the air therein escaping as
the said chamber becomes filled with the fumes. These fumes may
be generated outside the chamber and forced or otherwise introduced
therein, or the said fumes may be generated in any well known or
suitable manner within the chamber itself. The air vent opening or
openings above referred to should be closed so soon as the chamber or
receptacle is sufficiently charged with the fumes.
Any suitable apparatus may be used for forcing the fumes into the
chamber or receptacle (although I prefer to employ the apparatus for
which Letters Patent were granted to me on or about the Twenty-
eighth day of April One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one,
No. 1137), for introducing such fumes, vapours, or gases arising from
the combustion or the vaporization of the above materials. I prefer
however to apply the fumes of sulphurous acid gas in the first instance,
and to keep the hides or skins subjected to them for a period of
from a quarter of an hour to one hour, and afterwards to subject such
hides or skins whilst still in the same chamber or when removed
to another and separate chamber to the vapours of the last-named
materials or any of them, either vaporized simultaneously or in succes-
sion for about the same period of time. The sulphurous acid gas may
be produced in any known manner, but I prefer to produce it by the
combustion of sulphur either burnt in a suitable tray or dish in the
combustion chamber of my above-mentioned patented apparatus or by
the combustion of paper, rags, or other suitable material which has been
previously dipped in sulphur, as described in the Specification of the
above-mentioned Letters Patent; and I prefer to vaporize the other
materials with as little combustion as possible, and I effect this object
in the following manner: -I saturate or moisten sawdust or any other
suitable material or vehicle with creosote, heavy oil of tar, carbolic acid,
crude turpentine, glycerine, or with a mixture of one or more of these
ingredients, or with one of them alone, and I then place the saturated
or moistened sawdust either above or below a thin layer of charcoal (or

page_text: embers of a similar character), which has been previously ignited on
the grating of the combustion chamber of my above-mentioned patented
or other suitable apparatus for the purpose of saturating or moistening
the sawdust, I prefer a mixture of three parts of heavy oil of tar (the
creosote oil of commerce), and one part of crude turpentine; but I do
not confine myself to these proportions.
The rotation of the fan will cause the saturated or moistened sawdust
or other material to give up the preservative material or materials in a
state of vapour without destroying their qualities by injurious com-
bustion, as would be the case if they were actually burnt, and the fumes
thus produced will be loaded with the preservative material or materials
in such a manner that when they are forced or driven into the above-
mentioned chamber or receptacle the preservative material or materials
will eventually be condensed and deposited on every part of the hides
or skins so enclosed, by which means their preservation is effected and
their suppleness insured.
In some cases after the hides or skins are removed from the fumi-
gating chamber, they may be if desired further protected by being
painted over with carbolic acid or glycerine, or a mixture of both; or
they may be subjected to one or more subsequent fumigations as above
described.
I prefer to use two sets of apparatus or machines for the process of
fumigation, one set being employed for the purpose of producing and
introducing sulphurous acid gas, and the other set for the vaporising of
the saturated or moistened sawdust above mentioned. Two or more
machines may be used at the same time if desired.
The hides or skins treated as herein-before described may be trans-
ported from great distances and hot climates without risk of putrefaction
or of cracking, and being thus kept soft and pliable are in a much
better condition for tanning or other purposes than is ordinarily the
case.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The preserving of hides and skins by subjecting the same to
the action of sulphurous acid gas either alone or in conjunction with

page_text: the vapour or vapours arising from heated creosote, or from heated heavy
oil of tar (creosote oil of commerce), or from heated carbolic acid, or
from heated crude turpentine, or from heated glycerine, or from a
mixture of all or any of the above-named vapour producing materials,
substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The subjecting hides and skins to the vapour or vapours
arising from heated creosote, or from heated heavy oil of tar (creosote
oil of commerce), or from heated carbolic acid, or from heated crude
turpentine, or from heated' glycerine, or from a mixture of all or any
of the above ingredients, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described.
Third. The further protection of the hides or skins which have been
subjected to the fumigating process or processes above described by
painting them over with carbolic acid or glycerine, or a mixture of
both.
Fourth. The herein-before described combined process for preserving
hides and skins, and the application of the fumigating apparatus herein-
before referred to for carrying out such process, substantially as herein.
before specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Stephen Bateson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of
January One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
SAMUEL STEPHEN BATESON. (L.S.)