AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF TANNING HIDES, SKINS, OR PELTS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF TANNING HIDES, SKINS, OR
PELTS." A communication from abroad by Daniel Forward, of
Montreal, Canada, Chemist..
Sealed the 6th March 1874, and dated the 18th September 1873.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 18th September 1873, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS OF TANNING HIDES, SKINS, OR PELTS," and have petitioned Her
Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn

page_text: Declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad by
Daniel Forward, of Montreal, Canada, Chemist.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do bereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed in and by the following state-
ment:-
The said Invention consists in the tanning of hides, skins, and pclts
by the application of a hydrocarbon, such as petroleum or the products
of the same after they have been prepared to receive such treatment,
which preparation is effected by treating the hides, skins, or pelts with a
solution made by dissolving in water alum, salt, and white vitriol, either
by immersion or otherwise, or with other alkaline solution to destroy or
remove the animal and oleaginous matter or substance therein contained.
The raw hides, skins, or pelts are prepared by being subjected to the
action of a mixture or solution made by dissolving in a suitable quantity
of water four parts of alum, two parts of salt, and one part of white
vitriol, but this solution may be of greater or less strength according to
the nature, or character, or description of the hide, skin, or pelt to be
tanned.
The material to be tanned is immersed in the above described solution
or its equivalent for about eight minutes, or until the animal substance
or oleaginous matter therein contained is destroyed, transformed, or
removed; it is then saturated in any suitable manner, preferably by
immersion, with liquid hydrocarbon, such as crude petroleum, or any of
the distilled products thereof, for about four minutes, or until the hide,
skin, or pelt is thoroughly impregnated therewith.
The hide, skin, or pelt is then exposed to the atmosphere to allow the
hydrocarbon or petroleum to pass off by evaporation, thus completing
the tanning process ordinarily in about twelve minutes.
I find that crude petroleum gives the best result, but its distilled
products can sometimes be used advantageously. The preparation of
the hides, skins, or pelts to receive the hydrocarbon or petroleum by the
chemical solution above described may also be effected by other alkaline
solutions.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same,
I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. In the process of tanning the saturation of the hides, skins, or
pelts with hydrocarbon liquid, such as petroleum or its distilled products,
after their preparation to absorb or receive the same by treatment with a
chemical or alkaline solution, as herein set forth.
Second. In the process of tanning, the treatment of the hide, skins, or
pelts with a solution, of alum, salt, and white vitriol dissolved in water,
and saturating the same after such treatment with or in a hydrocarbon
fluid, such as petroleum or the distilled products thereof, to be afterwards
removed by evaporation in the manner herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said. George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eigtheenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
JAMES EDWARDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)