NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Wilson, and John James Palmer, and Thomas
Henry Palmer, all of Walsall, in-the County of Stafford, Engineers and Iron-
founders, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY AND APPARATUS
TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER."
Sealed the 12th February 1878, and dated the 18th August 1877
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Wilson, John James.
Palmer, and Thomas Henry Palmer at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 18th August 1877.
ARTHUR WILSON, and JOHN JAMES PALMER, and THOMAS HENRY PALMER, all of
Walsall, in the County of Stafford, Engineers and Ironfounders.
" NEW OR
IMPROVED MACHINERY AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
LEATHER."
In the ordinary manufacture of leather, animal skins or hides are immersed for a
time in the tanning solution, and after having been removed and exposed for a
while to the air are again immersed in the solution, and so on till the tanning
process is completed. The process is usually finished by treating the skins or bides
with a solution of shumach, in which they are immersed several times and exposed
to the air for a time after each immersion: The last described process is commonly
called "compoing."
The immersion of the skins in and their removal from the solutions is usually
effected by hand, the skins or hides when in the vats containing the tanning
solutions lying upon one another.
Our Invention has for its object to effect the immersion of the skins in the tanning
and compoing solutions, their removal therefrom, and their exposure to the air by
mechanical means, whereby greater regularity and efficiency in the treatment of the
skins is secured than can be attained by the ordinary hand process.
Our said Invention consists of the new or improved machinery, herein-after
described, together with the apparatus or appliances used in conjunction with the
said machinery.

page_text: The said machinery is constructed and arranged essentially in the following
manner: -Motion from a steam engine or other prime mover is made to drive a
shaft carrying a pinion, which pinion gears with a toothed wheel, the shaft of which
carries a pinion gearing with a second toothed wheel on the principal shaft of the
machine. The axis of the first-named pinion is hollow and works upon one end of
the principal shaft. The other end of the principal shaft carries a crank plate or
crank wheel, to which a slow rotation is given by the train of toothed wheels
described. A crank pin near the circumference of the crank wheel carries a small
disc capable of turning freely on the said crank pin. A strong fixed ring surrounds
the crank wheel, the said wheel working within the said ring. At four equidistant
'points in the said ring openings are made, each of the said openings being provided
with a pair of antifriction rollers. To the disc on the crank pin the ends of four
chains are fastened, the said chains passing respectively through the four openings
in the fixed ring. These chains may be conducted over pulleys to any convenient
distance, and each chain carries at its distant end a horizontal frame of bars on
which the hides or skins to be treated are hung. Immediately under each frame is a
vat containing the solution in which the skins or hides are to be immersed. By the
slow rotation of the crank pin the said crank pin passes in succession each of the
openings in the fixed ring. As it approaches each opening the chain, passing through
the opening and fastened to the crank pin by the disc described, is relaxed, and when
it has passed the opening the chain is drawn in. This action takes place simul-
taneously on the four chains, two of them being drawn in while two others are being
relaxed or payed out, the paying out of each chain being effected as the crank pin
approaches the opening through which the chain passes, and the drawing in of the
chain as the crank pin recedes from the said opening. As two of the said chains
are being payed out while the other two are being drawn in, the weights at the ends
of the chains balance each other.
In constructing the vats containing the solutions in which the skins or hides are
immersed, we make a shoulder at top so as to make the vat of larger size at that
part. This expanded part receives the frame carrying the rods on which the skins
or hides are hung, and permits of the use of a smaller vat than would otherwise be
required.
We make the rods on which the skins or hides are hung of steel covered with a
coating of an alloy of lead and tin or other material not acted upon by the solutions
in the vats. The chains carrying the frames are protected by varnish. Guide rods
may be fixed on opposite sides of each vat to guide the frame in its ascent and
descent.
Although we have described our Invention as actuating four chains, and con-
sequently as raising and lowering four frames of skins or hides into their respective
vats, yet a greater or less number of chains, frames, and vats may be employed, an
even number being by preference used in order to make the frames balance one
another.
By the use of our Invention the skins or hides under treatment can be immersed
in and removed from the solutions in the vats and exposed to the action of the air
with a regularity and uniformity unattainable by manual labour. The skins being
suspended from rods hang vertically in the vats, and are consequently acted upon
more effectually than when they are piled upon one another, and as all the skins
hung to one frame are raised and lowered together, each is exposed to the action of
the liquids or the air during the same length of time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Wilson, John James Palmer, and Thomas Henry Palmer in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th February 1878.
ARTHUR WILSON, and JOHN JAMES PALMER, and THOMAS HENRY PALMER, all of
Walsall, in the County of Stafford, Engineers, and Ironfounders.
"NEW OR
IMPROVED MACHINERY AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
LEATHER"
In the ordinary manufacture of leather animal skins or hides are immersed for a
time in the tanning solution, and after having been removed and exposed for a
while to the air are again immersed in the solution, and so on till the tanning
process is completed. The process is usually finished by treating the skins or hides
with a solution of shumach, in which they are immersed several times and exposed
to the air for a time after each immersion. The last described process is commonly
called compoing.
The immersion of the skins in and their removal from the solutions is usually
effected by hand, the skins or hides in the vats containing the tanning solutions
lying upon one another.
Our Invention has for its object to effect the immersion of the skins in the
tanning and compoing solutions, their removal therefrom, and their exposure to the
air by mechanical means, whereby greater regularity and efficiency in the treatment
of the skins is secured than can be attained by the ordinary hand process.
Our said Invention consists of the new or improved machinery, herein-after
described, together with the apparatus or appliances used in conjunction with the
said machinery.
The said machinery is constructed and arranged essentially in the following
manner-Motion from a steam engine or other prime mover is made to drive a
shaft carrying a pinion, which pinion gears with a toothed wheel, the shaft of which
carries a pinion gearing with a second toothed wheel on the principal shaft of the
machine. The axis of the first-named pinion is hollow and works upon one end of
the principal shaft. The other end of the principal shaft carries a crank plate or
crank wheel, to which a slow rotation is given by the train of toothed wheels
described. A crank pin near the circumference of the crank wheel carries a small
disc capable of turning freely on the said crank pin. A strong fixed ring surrounds
the crank wheel, the said wheel working within the said ring. At four equidistant
points in the said ring openings are made, each of the said openings being provided
with a pair of antifriction rollers. To the disc on the crank pin the ends of four
chains are fastened, the said chains passing respectively through the four openings
in the fixed ring. These chains may be conducted over pulleys to any convenient
distance, and each chain carries at its distant end a horizontal frame of bars on
which the hides or skins to be treated are hung. Immediately under each frame is
a vat containing the solution in which the skins or hides are to be immersed. By
the slow rotation of the crank pin the said crank pin passes in succession each of
the openings in the fixed ring. As it approaches each opening the chain, passing
through the opening and fastened to the crank pin by the disc described, is relaxed,
and when it has passed the opening the chain is drawn in. This action takes place
simultaneously on the four chains, two of them being drawn in while two others
are being relaxed or payed out, the paying out of each chain being effected as the
crank pin approaches the opening through which the chain passes, and the drawing
in of the chain as the crank pin recedes from the said opening. As two of the said
chains are being payed out while the other two are being drawn in, the ascending
weights and descending weights balance one another more or less.
In constructing the vats containing the solutions in which the skins or hides are
immersed, we make a shoulder at top so as to make the vat of larger size at that
part. This expanded part receives the frame carrying the rods on which the skins

page_text: or hides are hung, and permits of the use of a smaller vat than would otherwise be
required. We make the rods on which the skins or hides are hung of steel, covered
with a coating of an alloy of lead and tin, or other material not acted upon by the
solutions in the vats. The chains carrying the frames are protected by varnish.
Guide rods may be fixed op opposite sides of each vat to guide the frame in its
ascent and descent.
Having explained the nature of our Invention we will proceed to describe with
reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which the same is to be
performed.
'
Figure 1 represents in front elevation, partly in vertical section, and Figure 2 in
plan, partly in horizontal section, machinery and apparatus constructed according
to our Invention, to be used in the manufacture of leather, the said Figures 1 and 2
representing an arrangement of four vats and supporting frames of bars for the
skins or hides, two of the said supporting frames of bars and their skins being
shown dipping in the solutions in the vats, while the other two supporting frames
of bars and their skins are shown raised from the vats and exposed to the air.
Figure 3 represents in side elevation, partly in vertical section, the mechanism
by which the supporting frames of bars and their skins are automatically dipped
in and raised from the vats containing the tanning or compoing solution.
Figures 4 and 5 represent cross sections of one of the skin-supporting frames of
bars of the apparatus separately.
The said Figures 3, 4, and 5 are drawn to a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the Drawings.
The machinery by which the immersion of the skins in and their removal from
the vats is effected, is constructed and worked in the following manner. is the
principal shaft of the machine, carrying a crank plate or crank wheel b, to which a
slow rotation is given by the gearing herein-after described. On the said crank
plate or wheel b, and near its circumference, is a crank pin c, carrying a small disc d,
capable of turning freely on the said crank pin.
The crank plate or wheel is slowly driven by the following gearing:-Turning
loosely on the principal shaft a is a driving pulley e, to which motion is transmitted
from a steam engine or other prime mover by a band. Connected to the loose
driving pulley e is a hollow pinion f, which gears with the large toothed wheel g on
the parallel shaft h. This shaft h carries a pinion i, which gears with a large
toothed wheel, fixed on the principal shaft a, carrying the crank plate or crank
wheel b. is a strong ring, fixed near the crank wheel b, and concentric therewith,
as best seen in Figures 2 and 3, the crank pin c of the said crank wheel and the
disc d thereon working within the said fixed ring. At four equidistant points in
the fixed ring openings m, m, are made, each opening being provided with a pair
of antifriction rollers n, n. To the disc d on the crank pin c the ends of four chains
q, r, s, t, are connected, the end links of the chains being inserted in a groove in the
said disc, and fixed thereto by the pins p, p, as seen in Figure 3. The chains
q, r, s, t, are first conducted through the openings m, m, and between the pulleys
n, n, in the fixed ring 1, and are then conducted over the other guiding pulleys repre-
sented in Figure 1, and to the distant end of each chain q, r, s, t, a horizontal frame of
bars, marked respectively 92, 12, 82, 12, is connected, on which frames of bars the
hides or skins 2, 2, to be treated are hung. Under each frame q², 12, 82, 12, is a vat,
containing the solution in which the skins or hides are to be immersed. The vats
are marked respectively u, v, w, x.
By an examination of Figure 1 it will be seen that the chains q,, passing
respectively to the frames of bars 92, 72, are situated on opposite sides of the disc d
on the crank pin c, the frame of bars 2 attached to the chain being lowered into
the vat u, while the frame of bars q² attached to the chain q is raised out of its
vat w. Similarly the chains s, t, are connected to opposite sides of the disc d, the
frame of bars t2 attached to the chain t being lifted from its vat x, while the frame
of bars s² attached to the other chain s is lowered into its vat v.
"
The action of the machinery is as follows:-By the slow rotation of the crank

page_text: pin c, effected as herein-before described, the said crank pin working withint he
fixed ring passes in succession each of the openings m in the said ring. As the
crank pin c and its disc d approach each opening m the chain passing through that
opening is relaxed, and when the said crank pin and disc have passed the said
opening the chain is drawn in, the action described taking place simultaneously on
the four chains q, r, s, t, the chains r, s, being drawn in, while the other two chains
q, t, are being relaxed or payed out, and the reverse; that is to say, when the crank
pin and disc c, d, moving in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1, have reached the
position represented in the said Figure 1, the chain q has been drawn in so as to
lift the frame of bars q2 from its vat w, while by the same motion of the crank pin
and disc the chain rattached to the frame of bars 72 has been relaxed and payed
out, and the said frame of bars dipped into the vat u. In like manner the chain 8
after having been relaxed and payed out, and its frame of bars 82 dipped into the
vat v, is on the point of being drawn in, while the chain t having been drawn in,
and the frame of bars t2 lifted from its vat, is on the point of being relaxed ready
again to effect the dipping of its frame of bars. As the crank pin and disc c, d,
continue their motion in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1, from the lowest
opening m in the fixed ring towards the next opening m on the right hand side
of the ring, the chain q is payed out and the chain ? is drawn in, the frame of
bars q2 being lowered into its vat w, and the frame of bars being lifted from its
vat u. By the same motion of the crank pin and disc the chain 8 is drawn in, and
the frame of bars 82 lifted from its vat v, and the chain t is payed out and the frame
of bars t2 lowered into its vat x. As the two chains r, s, are being payed out while.
the other two chains q, t, are being drawn in, and the reverse, the supporting frames
of bars at the distant ends of the respective pairs of chains q, r, and s, t, balance
each other more or less.
By tracing the motions of one of the chains it will be seen that each frame of bars
after it has been lifted from its vat to the highest point commences its return motion;
but after the skins have been immersed in the vat the said chain and the skins
attached to the frame of bars remain stationary during half a revolution of the
crank plate b. By lengthening the chains the time during which the frames remain
immersed in the vats may be increased, and by shortening the chains the time of
immersion may be diminished.
The construction of the frames of bars carrying the skins or hides to be treated
will be understood by an examination of the transverse sections, Figures 4 and 5.
The said frames marked y are of a rectangular figure, and to the said frames the
chains of the raising and lowering mechanism are connected. The top edges of the
bars at the short ends of the frames are provided with equidistant semicircular
depressions or notches, into which the ends of the steel rods are dropped. On the
said steel rods z the skins or hides 2, 2, to be treated are hung, as represented in
Figure 4; or when short skins or hides are to be treated they are sewn to the
supporting steel rods z in the manner illustrated in Figure 5. As the supporting
rods require no fixing they are removed from and replaced in the frames with
great facility; the steel rods z are coated or covered with an alloy of lead and
tin or other material, which will prevent them being acted upon by the solutions in
the vats. To the opposite ends of the supporting frames y hook-like guide pieces
3, 3, are.fixed, which work in guiding slots in the rods or uprights 4, 4, fixed on
opposite sides of the vats. By means of these guiding pieces 3, 3, and the rods 4, 4,
in which they work, the frames of the bars are guided in their ascending and
descending motions. Each of the vats is furnished with a shoulder 5 at top, so as
to make the vat of larger size at that part, as represented in the sections of the vats,
Figure 1. When the frame of bars carrying the skins or hides is lowered into its
vat, the expanded part at 5 receives the said frame and its guided pieces, and
thereby permits the use of a smaller vat than would otherwise be required.
Although we have described and represented our Invention as actuating four
chains, and consequently as raising and lowering four frames of skins or hides from
and into their respective vats, yet a greater or less number of chains, frames, and

page_text: vats may be employed, an even number being by preference used in order to make
the frames balance one another.
By the use of our Invention the skins or hides under treatment can be immersed in.
and removed from the solutions in the vats, and exposed to the action of the air with a
regularity and uniformity unattainable by manual labour; the skins being suspended
from rods hang vertically in the vats, and are consequently acted upon more
effectually than when they are piled upon one another, and as all the skins hung to
one frame are raised and lowered together, each is exposed to the action of the liquids
or the air during the same length of time.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves:
to the precise details herein-before described and illustrated, as the same may be
varied without departing from the nature of our Invention, but we claim as our.
Invention,
The new or improved machinery to be used in immersing the skins or hides to be
made into leather in the tanning and compoing solutions, and removing the said
skins or hides from the said solutions, and exposing them for a time to the air,
and apparatus to be used in conjunction with the said machinery herein-before
described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, machinery
for immersing the skins or hides in and removing them from the tanning and
compoing solutions, consisting essentially of a crank plate or crank wheel driven at
a slow speed, the crank pin of the said crank plate or wheel carrying a disc, to
which the ends of four or other number of chains, passing to a corresponding number
of frames of bars on which the skins or hides are hung, are connected, the said
crank pin and disc upon it working within a fixed ring through equidistant openings,
in which ring the chains described respectively pass on their way to the frames of
supporting bars, the slow motion of the crank pin as it approaches each opening in
the fixed ring causing the chain passing through that opening to be relaxed or
payed out, and the motion of the said crank pin as it recedes from the said opening
causing the chain to be drawn in, and the supporting frame of bars thereby lowered
in or lifted from its vat at the proper times, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Also making the frames of bars on which the skins or hides are supported of a
series of parallel steel rods, coated as described, the said rods engaging in depressions
or notches in the opposite ends of frames of a rectangular figure, substantially as
described and illustrated.
Also the arrangement of parts described and illustrated for guiding the frames of
bars into and from the vats.
Also making the tops of the vats of larger size than the lower parts for the purpose,
and substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said Arthur Wilson, John James Palmer, and
Thomas Henry Palmer, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth
day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-eight
Witness,
RICHARD HENERY SILLITOE,
57, Stafford Street,
Walsall.
ARTHUR WILSON.
JOHN JAMES PALMER.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)
THOMAS HENRY PALMER. (L.S.)