AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL LEATHER
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edward Vaughan, of 67, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL LEATHER." A communication from abroad by
Jean Emile Péchinot and Adèle Vangeon, both residing at Paris, in the
Republic of France.
Sealed the 21st May 1880, and dated the 20th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Vaughan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th December 1879.
GEORGE EDWARD VAUGHAN, of 67, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL LEATHER." A com-
munication from abroad by Jean Emile Péchinot and Adèle Vangeon, both of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to the manufacture of an artificial leather which may
according to circumstances be used alone as a substitute for ordinary leather, or
employed in combination with the latter for various purposes.
The artificial leather in question is essentially composed of the fibrous material
obtained by the mechanical disintegration of ordinary leather, and incorporated
with a suitable agglutinant to form a plastic mass, which under pressure acquires a
high degree of density, tenacity, and elasticity.
The execution of this Invention involves a series of operations as follows:-
1stly. Mechanical reduction into shavings or small fragments of the leather to
be converted (preferably, scraps or waste of shoe and other manufactories).
2ndly. Mechanical reduction of these shavings or fragments to a state of fine
division, the product of this operation having the appearance of a fibrous flock or
down.
3dly. Incorporation of this fibrous product with the agglutinating material.
4thly. Evaporation and recovery of the solvent of this agglutinating material.
5thly. Compression of the residue of this operation preceded or followed if
required by a process of vulcanisation.
The results above indicated may be obtained by a variety of means and
apparatus, such for instance as the following:-
The scrap or other leather is submitted to the action of a shearing or cutting

page_text: machine by which it is reduced to shavings or small fragments, which being passed
through a disintegrating mill are converted into fibrous flock or down forming the
basis of the artificial leather to be produced.
To a given quantity, say one hundred pounds weight, of this fibrous material are
added say ten pounds weight of agglutinant, which may be composed of a solution
in sulphuret of carbon of natural caoutchouc, or of the artificial product derived
from certain oils, and known in France as "caoutchouc des huiles" (oil caoutchouc),
or "caoutchine." Or again, a mixture of these two substances may be used in
variable proportions.
The fibrous and agglutinating materials as above being thoroughly incorporated 1
are transferred to a suitable still or closed evaporating apparatus, by which the
volatile solvent of the agglutinant is driven off by heat and recondensed for future
use, leaving a plastic mass which constitutes the artificial leather, and which is
subsequently moulded under pressure to any desired form. The artificial leather
thus obtained may be vulcanised by any suitable process either before or after 1
pressure, and may for certain purposes be covered on one or both surfaces with
thin sheets of ordinary leather, or with woven or other fabrics supplemented if
necessary by the insertion in its thickness of similar materials. When so desired
the leather flock may be mixed with hemp, flax, jute, tan, and other fibrous
substances in variable proportions according to the intended application of the
finished product.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Edward Vaughan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th June 1880.
GEORGE EDWARD VAUGHAN, of 67, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL LEATHER." A com-
munication from abroad by Jean Emile Péchinot and Adèle Vangeon, both of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to the manufacture of an artificial leather which may
according to circumstances be used alone as a substitute for ordinary leather, or
employed in combination with the latter for various purposes.
The artificial leather in question is essentially composed of the fibrous material
obtained by the mechanical disintegration of ordinary leather, and incorporated
with a suitable agglutinant to form a plastic mass, which under pressure acquires
a high degree of density, tenacity, and elasticity.
The execution of this Invention involves a series of operations as follows:-
1stly. Mechanical reduction into shavings or small fragments of the leather to
be converted (preferably scraps or waste of shoe and other manufactories).
2ndly. Mechanical reduction of these shavings or fragments to a state of fine
division, the product of this operation having the appearance of a fibrous flock or
down.
3rdly. Incorporation of this fibrous product with the agglutinating material.
4thly. Evaporation and recovery of the solvent of this agglutinating material.
5thly. Compression of the residue of this operation preceded or followed if
required by a process of vulcanisation.
The results above indicated may be obtained by a variety of means and
apparatus, such for instance as the following:-
The scrap or other leather is submitted to the action of a shearing or cutting
machine, by which it is reduced to shavings or small fragments, which being passed
through a disintegrating mill are converted into fibrous flock or down forming the
basis of the artificial leather to be produced.
To a given quantity, say one hundred pounds weight, of this fibrous material aro
added say ten pounds weight of agglutinant, which may be composed of a solution
in sulphuret of carbon of natural caoutchouc, or of the artificial product derived
from certain oils, and known in France as "caoutchouc des huiles" (oil caoutchouc),
or "caoutchine." Or again, a mixture of these two substances may be made in
variable proportions.
The fibrous and agglutinating materials as above being thoroughly incorporated
are transferred to a suitable still or closed evaporating apparatus, by which the
volatile solvent of the agglutinant is driven off by heat and recondensed for futuro
use, leaving a plastic mass which constitutes the artificial leather, and which is
subsequently moulded under pressure to any desired form.
The artificial leather thus obtained may be vulcanisd by any suitable process
either before or after pressure, and may for certain purposes be covered on one or
both surfaces with thin sheets of ordinary leather, or with woven or other fabrics,
supplemented if necessary by the insertion in its thickness of similar materials.
When so desired the leather flock may be mixed with hemp, flax, jute, tan, and
other fibrous substances in variable proportions according to the intended
application of the finished product.
In the annexed Drawings is shewn a series of apparatus by which this Invention
may be carried into practical effect.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine for reducing the leather to shavings
preparatory to its conversion into the fibrous flock or down.
Figure 2 is a section of the cylinder on which the cutters are mounted, and of
the rollers by which the leather is conducted thereto.

page_text: .
In these Figures a is the frame of the machine; b, b¹, gear wheels set on one end
of the leading rollers c, c¹; d, a toothed wheel gearing with the archimedian screw
e which carries forward the leather towards the cutters f (Fig. 2).
The cylinder g on which these cutters are mounted is set on the shaft h of the
wheel d to which rotation is given by any suitable motor; i is a roller which
guides the leather j to the cutters.
Figure 3 shews in elevation a disintegrating mill by which the shavings
produced by the above machines are converted into fibrous flock or down.
Figure 4 shews in vertical section the stationary concave part of this mill in
which works the moveable counterpart shewn in elevation in Figure 5.
In these Figures a is a bell shaped chamber of iron or steel provided internally
with several ranges of wedge-shaped teeth x, and secured to a frame b; a¹ is the
moveable counterpart provided with teeth a¹, the ranges of which are so situated
as to alternate with those of the bell a when the two parts are fitted together
as in Figure 3. This counterpart a' is set on a vertical shaft c, which passing
through the funnel shaped neck of the bell a is rotated by any suitable driving
mechanism, its lower end working on the bearing d; e is a hopper for feeding the
leather scraps, which passing through the funnel neck of the bell a around the
shaft c are converted by the teeth, x, into fibrous flock, which egressing by
the interstices of the latter falls into a collecting vessel beneath.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a mixing apparatus composed of a metallic
cylinder a traversed by a longitudinal shaft b provided with pallets c, c, and
terminated by a driving pulley & or other motivo appliance.
The leather flock is introduced into the cylinder by the opening e, the
agglutinating material by the conduit f, and the product of the operation is drawn
off by the opening g at the bottom.
Figure 7 shews an ordinary form of distilling apparatus by means of which the
sulphuret of carbon or other solvent of the agglutinating composition may be
vulcanised and recondensed for future use.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the manner in
which it may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the operative details above laid down, as these may obviously
be modified without deviating from the principle or main features of the Invention ;
on the other hand I lay no claim to the mechanical arrangements shown in the
Drawings, which are for the most part mere adaptations of existing apparatus,
and may be replaced by any other appliances capable of producing the indicated
results, but
What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is,-
The mechanical reduction of ordinary leather into a fibrous down or flock, and
the application of the fibrous down or flock so produced in combination with an
appropriate agglutinant to the production of an artificial leather, the whole
substantially as and for the purposes above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edward Vaughan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.