IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING LONG HAIRED AND WOOLLY SKINS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James John Johnstone, of Bootle, in the County of
Lancaster, Fellmonger, and John Straiton, of the same Place, Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING LONG HAIRED
AND WOOLLY SKINS,”
Sealed the 4th July 1876, and dated the 18th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Jolin Jolinstone and
John Straiton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th
January 1876.
JAMES JOHN JOHNSTONE, of Bootle, in the County of Lancaster; Fellinonger, and
JOHN STRAITON, of the saine Place, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
CLEANING LONG HAIRED AND WOOLLY SKINS."
This Invention has for its object to provide apparatus or appliances for cleaning
and removing burrs and foreign matters from hair and wool coated skins in a more
effectual and satisfactory manner than heretofore.
A machine constructed under our Invention contains the following novel con-
structions and arrangements of parts. Any suitable framework is provided with
rollers for carrying or forwarding the skins to be cleaned to gripping or holding
rollers. The said gripping rollers are as well as the carrying rollers capable of
being reversed in their motion by suitable mechanism, such as reversing belts
operated by a hand lever, and such gripping rollers serve to feed the skins to and
withdraw them from the cleaning appliances. Each skin is fed twice to the'
cleaning mechanism, half of the skin being cleaned at each operation.
The cleaning mechanism consists of a rapidly rotating druin or bar provided with
knives or beaters. The said knives or beaters instead of being placed straight along
the periphery of the drum or bar are so arranged that one half of each of the said
knives or beaters forms a left-handed thread, and the other half a right-handed
thread around the drum or bar, the object in so fitting the knives or beaters is to
keep the skins stretched whilst being operated upon. The said skins are kept in
contact with the beaters by means of a hinged board adjustable as to distance from
the beaters and held in position by springs. The adjusting mechanismi operatės
through the springs.
During the operation of the machine à stream of water is admitted between the
blades of the Enivés or beaters which are surrounded by a cover, so that the said
D

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James John Johnstone and John Straiton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th July 1876.
JAMES JOHN JOHNSTONE, of Bootle, in the County of Lancaster, Fellmonger, and
JOHN STRAITON, of the same Place, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
CLEANING LONG HAIRED AND WOOLLY SKINS."
This Invention has for its object to provide apparatas or appliances for cleaning
and removing burrs and foreign matters from hair and wool coated skins in a more
effectual and satisfactory manner than heretofore.
A. machine constructed under our, Invention contains the following novel con-
structions and arrangements of parts. Any suitable framework is provided with
rollers for carrying or forwarding the skins to be cleaned to gripping or holding
rollers. The said gripping rollers are as well as the carrying rollers capable of
being reversed in their motion by suitable mechanism, such as reversing belts
operated by a hand lever, and such gripping rollers serve to feed the skins to and
withdraw them from the cleaning appliances. Each skin is fed twice to the
cleaning mechanism, half of the skin being cleaned at each operation.
The cleaning mechanism consists of a rapidly rotating drum or bar provided with
knives or beaters. The said knives or beaters instead of being placed straight
along the periphery of the drum or bar, are so arranged that one half of each of the
said knives or beaters forms a left-handed thread, and the other half a right-handed
thread around the drum or bar, the object in so fitting the knives or beaters is to.
keep the skins stretched whilst being operated upon. The said skins, are kept in
contact with the beaters by means of a hinged board adjustable as to distance from
the beaters, and held in position by springs. The adjusting mechanism operates
through the springs.
During the operation of the machine a stream of water is admitted between 'the
blades of the knives or beaters which are surrounded by a cover, so that the said
water shall by the rapid rotation of the knives or beaters be impelled with great
force against the surface of the skins, and so assist in the cleaning operation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation; Fig. 3, a plan; and
Fig. 4, a front view with the cover removed all of apparatus under our Invention.
1 is the framework provided with rollers 2 for carrying forward the skins to
be cleaned to the gripping rollers 3 which hold the skins and feed them to and
withdraw them from the cleaning appliances. The rollers 2 and 3 receive forward
motion from the belt pulley 4 and strap 5, when the strap 5 is caused by means
of the clutch 6 to move across the loose pulley 7 and on to the pulley 8, the motion
of the rollers 2 and 3 is reversed by the gearing 9. It will be obvious that various
forms of reversing gear may be employed, such as a straight and crossed belt. The
skin is fed forward to the cleaning appliances and cleaned for half its surface,
withdrawn, reversed in position, again fed forward, and the other half cleaned,
after which it is finally withdrawn.
The cleaning-mechanism-for-removing the burrs and other impurities consists
of the bar 10 provided. with knives or beaters 11 secured thereon through-the-
discs 12, and is caused to rotate rapidly by the belt 13. The said knives or
. beaters 11 instead of being placed straight along the periphery of the bar are so
arranged that one half of the said knives or beaters 11 forms a left-handed thread,
and the other half 11ª a right-handed thread. This arrangement serves to keep the
skins stretched whilst being operated upon; 14 is a board hinged at 15 and

page_text: adjusted at its free end by means of the screws 10, so as to keep the wooly surface
of the skins in contact with the knives or beaters 11, the spiral springs 17 are
interposed between the board 14 and the adjusting screws 16, so as to give an
elasticity to the board and allow for inequalities of thickness in the skins. The
said board may be in one piece instead of in several, as shown, and the pad 18 may
be dispensed with.
A stream of water is admitted between the knives or beaters 11 through the
perforated pipe 19 underneath the cover 20. By this arrangement the water
partakes of the centrifugal motion of the knives or beaters, is impelled with great
force against the wooly surface of the skins, and greatly assists the cleaning thereof.
The arrows show the direction of motion.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention, we
would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to detail, but what we
do claim is,
First. The combination of the carrying and gripping rollers, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination of reversing gear with gripping and carrying rollers,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The arrangement of the knives or beaters on the drum or bar, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The adjustable board for holding the skins to the beaters, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. Admitting the cleaning water beneath the cover between the knives or
beaters, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Sixth. The general construction and arrangement of machinery for cleaning skins,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Straiton, for and on behalf of myself and
the said James John Johnstone, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twelfth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
TOTIN SUTUD A TON
TEN
JOHN ST
STRAITON (L.S.)