Improvements in Machinery for Splitting Sheep-skins.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Splitting Sheep-skins.
I SIDNEY BOWRON, of the firm of Bowron Bros. of Park Street, Bermondsey, S.E.
Leather Dresser, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a machine for splitting sheep-skins which
shall be easily managed, thereby enabling the proprietors to dispense with the employ-
ment of much of the skilled labour which is now essential in this branch of the leather
trade.
Sheep-skins have previously been split by being hooked onto a roller of special
construction which as it revolved, caused the skin to bear against a rapidly recipro-
cating knife, and for the management of such machines, two attendants have been
employed, on whose part great care and attention have been required.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a front elevation, partly broken
away, of my machine; Fig. 2 being a transverse section on an enlarged scale of the
principal parts and Fig. 3 a detail hereinafter described.
a is the framework of the machine which is similarly constructed at both ends,
and bare bearings in which are supported shafts c and c¹ on which are mounted
single flanged pallies d carrying a broad endless band knife e which travels across a
table f, being kept perfectly level in its course, by means of adjustablo plates flas
seen in Fig. 2. Beneath the knife e is mounted a roller g the distance between the
edge of the knife and the roller, being regulated by adjusting screws g¹ one only of
which is shown (see Fig. 1). On a shaft h are loosely mounted a series of rollers h¹
the base of which is slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft. The skin to be
split, is placed upon the table j and one edge presented to the rollers g and h¹ which
draw it forward, and present it to the edge of the splitting knife e. The roller gis
supported rigidly throughout its length, by bearings formed at intervals in the trough
or casing g', and the rollers h' are pressed against the upper surface of the skin by
means of a roller k which is covered with india-rubber and which, whilst imparting
motion by surface friction to the rollers h', permits them to accomodate themselves to
the slight inequalities in the thickness of the skin.
the
As soon as the first portion of the skin has passed between the rollers g and h¹,
under layer is caught between rollers y and, the upper portion being taken up as
cut by the attendant.
The roller k is enclosed within a metal cover k¹ which is open at the bottom, to
allow the rollers h¹ to project therethrough. This cover ¹ is mounted on arms k² on
the broken-off ends k³, of which are counterbalance weights by which means the whole
of the parts h¹, k and k¹ can be readily raised to afford access to the knife and
adjusting parts in connection therewith.
The motive power is derived from the driving pulley I mounted on the shaft c and
is transmitted thence to the shaft c¹ on which is a variable speed cone l, a belt from
which imparts motion to a second cone 12. On the shaft of the latter cone is a worm m
gearing with a worm wheel m', and the subsequent train of gearing can be so readily
traced, as to render further explanation unnecessary, more especially as the manner of
driving the different parts can be varied indefinitely.
Fig. 3 illustrates the manner in which the india-rubber roller & bears upon the short
rollers h¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1
In a meching for onlitting shoon skine the combination of an endless knife e

page_text: with rollers g and h¹ in manner substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a machine for splitting sheep-skins, the combination with knifee and rollers
and h', of an india-rubber or other yielding roller, such as k in manner and for the
purpose substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The general construction and arrangement of a machine for splitting sheep-skins
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of December 1800.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.