A NEW IMPROVED METHOD OF TAKING OR GETTING OFF THE WOOL OR FURR FROM SEAL AND OTHER SKINS IN A HORE PERFECT STATE THAN HAS HITHERTO BEEN DONE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF MANU- FACTURING THE SAME INTO HATS OR ANY OTHER ARTICLE OF CLOATHING, WHEREBY THE SKINS OR PELTS ARE LESS DAMAGED THAN BY ANY OTHER PROCESS YET ADOPTED, AND ARE KEPT AND PRESERVED IN A PERFECT STATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF TANNING
Year: 1799

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS:
CHAPMAN, of the Parish of Saint Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, in the County
of Surry, Skinner and Seal Wool Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King George the Third, in and by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Sixth day of June now last past, for Himself, His heirs and.
successors, did give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Chapman, His especial.
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas.
Chapman, my executors, administrators, or assigns, and every of them, by myself.
and themselves, and by my and their deputy or deputies, servants or agents,
or 'such others as I, the said Thomas Chapman, my executors, administrators,.
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time.
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His said Majesty's Colonies.
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "A NEW IMPROVED METHOD OF
TAKING OR GETTING OFF THE WOOL OR FURR FROM SEAL AND OTHER SKINS IN A
HORE PERFECT STATE THAN HAS HITHERTO BEEN DONE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF MANU-
FACTURING THE SAME INTO HATS OR ANY OTHER ARTICLE OF CLOATHING, WHEREBY
THE SKINS OR PELTS ARE LESS DAMAGED THAN BY ANY OTHER PROCESS YET ADOPTED,
AND ARE KEPT AND PRESERVED IN A PERFECT STATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF TANNING
;

page_text: INTO ANY KIND OF LEATHER;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained
a proviso obliging me, the said Thomas Chapman, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His-said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within one calender month next and inmediately after the date
of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereto had, will more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Chapman, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and. the manner in which the same is to be performed, as follows,
that is to say
:-
"When the seal or other furr skin is in the raw or natural state lay it in
clean cold fresh water for twelve hours, or thereabouts; afterwards take the
skin to a beam usually worked on, and with a proper fleshing or beaming
knife scrape or take off the blubber or oily substance that adheres to the
skin or pelt, then wash the skin or pelt very clean in heated or scalding
water, made as warm as the hand can bear it, in which water the following
ingredients must have been before. mixed and dissolved (that is to say)
To every fourteen' pails of the water, each pail containing two gallons or
thereabouts, put three pounds and an half of soft or other soap, and two,
pounds' of pearl ash, and so in proportion for a smaller or larger quantity;
then-put the seal or other furr skin in hoopsito dry in the sun; or a stove.room,
and make them as dry as possible. After the skins are so dried take them out
of the hoops, and carefully wash them.again in the aforesaid composition, made
afresh and as hot as before. The skins are then to be taken to the beam;
and again scraped with the: beaming knife; and the beaming knife will draw at
every stroke of the workman the course hair from the skin or pelt, and leave
the skin or pelt with the furr or wool adhering thereto cleared from all
the course hair. Then lay or immerse the skin in warm water for twelve
hours, in which water the following ingredients: must have been before
mixed and dissolved, that is to say:To every fourteen pails, each-pail
containing two: gallons or thereabouts.in.quantity,; three-pounds of, soft, or
other soap, one pound and a half of pearl rash, and tone or two-pounds of
banilla more or less, according to the: temper; curing, and pliability of-the
skin. After the-skin has laid in the water for the above time,-take-the skins
out and lay them on the beam, and scrape them with a proper beaming-knife
and the workman will at every stroke: draw, extract; or discharge from the
skin-or-pelt some of the wool or furr, until all the wool or furr-be extracted

page_text: or discharged, and will extricate and eradicate the roots that are by nature
n the skin, and from which the wool or furr issues, and thereby the skin
or pelt will be left free from every particle of hair, furr, or wool, and will
be in nowise injured or damaged in its surface. or inward substance. After
the wool or furr is thus separated from the skin, or pelt, put it into a hair-
bottomed sieve, or any other utensill or thing that will let a liquid pass
through it, but at the same time keep the wool or furr therein; then take
two vessells, copper kettles, iron pans, or boilers, of sufficient size to hold
fourteen pails -of-water, -each -pail -containing two gallons or thereabouts.
After having filled one of the vessels with water, put therein three pounds
and an half of soft or other soap,. two pounds and an half of pearl ash, and
heat the water sufficiently to dissolve the above ingredients, the wool or furr
being still kept in the hair-bottomed sieve or other utensill above described.
Immerse the same in the water, stir it about frequently, and pressing it with
the hand or otherwise about five minuets, you will perceive the roots of
the wool or furr separate, expand, and divide freely. After the above operation
Las been practised with effect, take the other vessell, fill it with warm water,
and therein immerse the wool or furr, and thoroughly wash, cleanse, purify,
and press from and out of the wool or furr every filth or dirt that then
adhers or appears to adhere thereto. After it is so cleansed let it be dryed
by a slow fire stove, or by heat of the sun, if the season will permit. After
it is compleatly dried pull or part it by hand or otherwise, as it will freely part.
After it is so parted, bow it with the bow string, or other like instrument, and
the wool or furr so prepared, dryed and finished will be found to be fit for the
purpose of being used in the manufacture of hats and other articles of cloathing,
and to be nearly equal to every purpose for which the wool or furr called
beaver is used, and is also a wool or furr of so fine a texture and so good a
staple as to be convertable to any other article of cloathing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Chapman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine.

page_text: AND BE. IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Fifth day of July, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Thomas Chapman came before our
Lord the King in His Chancery; and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained, in form- above written: And also
the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute
in that case made and provided.