Process for Preparing an Elastic Caoutchouc-like Leather for Belts, Straps, and other use.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1890-Accepted, 23rd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Process for Preparing an Elastic Caoutchouc-like Leather for Belts,
Straps, and other use.
I, CHRISTIAN KÜHNE of Schoenebeck on the Elbe in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is a process for preparing a caoutchouc-like leather
more particularly for machine belting, straps, bands and such like, said process
having for its purpose to deliver the leather of those qualities that rendered its use
limited by and dependent on influences of temperature.
The improved process essentially consists in the following manipulations
The hide is properly watered, then carefully piled, unhaired and rinsed and
brought into a weak bath of milk of lime and afterwards into fresh water. When
taking it out of the water, the hide is folded up uniformly, and after removing
the garbage, immersed again in fresh water. Subsequently it is brought into a
bath of light argil milk, then smoothened, scraped and cleared of any adhering.
flesh. After having been thus cleaned the hide is brought into a good sour-water
and cleared once more properly on the shaft.
As soon as it is wind-dry it is slightly oiled by means of a brush on both sides
with an unguent, which consists of glycerine and linseed oil, and must be caused to
soak into the hide.
Now the drying and oiling of the hide is repeated and then form will be given
from the flesh side and afterwards the hide is finally dried again.
The whole process occupies about 10 days.
The leather thus treated and obtained has a caoutchouc-like surface and semi-
transparent appearance; it is of great durability and can be used in localities having
a high temperature without losing its clasticity.
The improved leather moreover does not break and its wear and tear is below
that of leather which is tanned by oak bark and the so-called "Crown" and shanny
leather which is very time-wasting and expensive in manufacture.
Dated this 24th day of May 1890.
HUELSER & Co.,
Attorneys.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Process for Preparing an Elastic Caoutchouc-like Leather for Belts,
Straps, and other use.
I, CHRISTIAN KÜHNE of Schoenebeck of Elbe, in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention has for its object to prepare a leather of caoutchouc-like
consistency, which is eminently adapted for machine belting, straps, bands and the
like.
The leather belts hitherto known are very susceptible to taking injury or losing
efficacity by excessive temperature in the locality where they are used or by other
climatic influences, and the improved process has for its purpose to remove these
drawbacks, that is to say, to deliver the leather of those properties, which are apt
to limit its use and make it dependent on the above influences.

page_text: The peculiar method of preparing the improved leather enables it to be also
advantageously used for various other purposes.
When
The improved process is as follows: The hide to be treated is first thoroughly
watered or soaked, then carefully piled, unhaired and rinsed and subsequently
immersed in a weak bath of milk of lime and afterwards in fresh water.
taking the hide thus treated out of the water, it is folded up as uniformly as
possible, and after removing the garbage, brought again into fresh water.
Subsequently the hide is immersed in a bath of light argil milk, i.e., a weak
mixture of alumina and water-which may be afterwards put to use in hat manu-
facture then smoothened, scraped and freed of any remainder of adhering fleshy
parts. In this cleaned condition the hide is brought into a good sour-water and
once more thoroughly cleared on the beam.
When the leather thus treated is wind-dry, it is slightly brushed both on the
flesh- and grain-side with an unguent consisting of glycerine and linseed oil.
Said unguent must be so applied as to properly soak into the hide.
The drying and oiling is subsequently repeated and after form has been given
from the flesh side, the hide is finally dried.
The whole process is so conducted as to last for about ten days.
Leather produced by the improved process is caoutchouc-like on the surface and
semi-transparent in appearance; it has about double the durability of ordinary
belt-leather and experiments have demonstrated, that it can be used in excessively
heated localities without losing its elasticity. It is in no way subject to breaking
or tearing and its rate of wear is far below that of leather which has been tanned
by oak-bark or extracts or of the so-called “Crown and shanny" leather.
It is obvious that by the improved process moreover great economy in labour
and time is effected, especially with regard to the manufacture of oozed "Crown
and shanny" leather, which also necessitates the use of expensive auxiliary
machinery and plant.
Haring now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
A process for preparing a caoutchoue-like leather for machine belting, straps,
bands and other purposes, consisting in consecutively piling, unhairing and rinsing
the hide, immersing it in light milk of lime and thereupon in fresh water, then
folding it up, removing the garbage, and again immersing it in fresh water and
subsequently in light argil milk, i.e., a weak aqueous solution of alumina, then
smoothening the hide, removing any remainder of fleshy parts therefrom, bringing
it into a sour-water bath, clearing it on the beam and, after having been left to
become wind-dry, impregnating it with an oil or unguent consisting of glycerine
and linseed-oil, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1890.
CHRISTIAN KÜHNE.
By Huelser & Co.,
Attorneys.