Improvements in the Manufacture of Substances suitable for Finishing, Polishing, Preserving, or otherwise Treating Leather, Skins, Hides, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 4th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Substances suitable for
Finishing, Polishing, Preserving, or otherwise Treating
Leather, Skins, Hides, and the like.
I, RAYMOND COMBRET, of 36 Rue Washington, Paris, Doctor of Chemistry,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of blackings, fatty
substances, encaustics, varnishes, mordants, and the like that are adapted for use
either for finishing, polishing, or otherwise treating leather and skins or hides of all
kinds or for preserving leather in good condition and which substances will
hereinafter be referred to as finishing and preservative substances.
According to my invention I introduce into the said finishing and preservative
substances, which may be prepared according to various known formulæ or recipes,
the empyreumatic oil or tar of the birch-tree, a product which is produced in
Russia chiefly by the dry distillation of the bark of the birch-tree with or without
an admixture of other materials such as portions of the coniferæ, and andromedæ
polyphilli.
"
This product is well known in the leather-industry, and it is known that the
so-called "Russia-leathers owe, in addition to their odour, also their special
properties of suppleness, strength, and imputrescibility to impregnation with birch
oil or tar.
It is with the object of imparting to leather skins or hides of all kinds, and even
to articles which are completely manufactured or finished and in use, a considerable
proportion of the properties possessed by the aforesaid Russia-leathers, that I have
invented this new and special application of birch-oil or tar.
By the incorporation of the said birch oil or tar in the finishing and preservative
substances to nourish and lubricate or, by habitual use, to keep in good condition,
the surface of leather and skins of various kinds, I produce new products which I
may term "Russia" blackings, oils or fats, pastes, encaustics, varnishes, mordants,
and leathers. These new products constitute a new industrial result, and offer
decided advantages over the best compositions heretofore known.
Their agreeable perfume overcomes all noxious smells in the leather, skin or
other article to which they are applied and their antiseptic, emollient, water-proof,
and preservative action will obviously render useful services in many cases.
It is not necessary to enumerate here the various formulæ and manipulations
employed in the manufacture of finishing and preservative substances to which my
invention relates, as whatever these may be the aforesaid birch oil or tar is merely
added to the formula without the introduction of any other material modification
into the manufacture of the substances; and the said oil or tar can be employed in
all cases and in the most general manner without any difficulty whatever.
It will be sufficient to state that the qualities and quantities of the oil or tar
employed may vary according to the circumstances, materials, selling prices, the use
of other fatty or water-proof substances &c. I may mention by way of example
that the ordinary blackings for boots and shoes may advantageously contain from
2 to 10 per cent. of the birch oil or tar.
Also, the manner of incorporating the birch oil or tar may vary according to
circumstances. For instance, in the case of blacking, the birch oil or tar may be

page_text: incorporated directly with the black, or be first mixed with the other fatty
substances or hydrocarbons employed; or it may be simply mixed or stirred in after
the entire ordinary treatment has been completed. In the case of light-coloured-
blackings or pastes which cannot be mixed with the ordinary empyreumatic oil or
tar on account of its dark colour, I may employ the lighter coloured or colourless
products resulting from the rectification by a second or third distillation of the crude
oil or tar. I may also employ alcoholic extracts of the products, or various
solutions or emulsions thereof in or with other substances as for examples soap and
alkalies.
I may also employ any method which will effect the object in view whilst
obviating the excess of colour which is injurious in some cases.
For the purpose of effecting a better incorporation of birch oils or tars in the
finishing or preservative substances, when they are to be absorbed therein in con-
siderable quantities, I may employ, mixed with the said substances, special emulsions
of the said oils or tars the said emulsions being rendered more perfect if necessary
by treating them in centrifugal apparatus (e.g. cream-skimming machines acting as
emulsifiers).
In consequence of this preliminary emulsifying, my improved finishing or
preservative substances can contain much greater percentages of birch oils or tars
(up to and exceeding 50%) without hindering their complete and rapid absorption,
which takes place much more easily than by the actual impregnation or frictional
application of the crude or rectified oils or tars applied in the mass and not
emulsified.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Substances suitable for
Finishing, Polishing, Preserving, or otherwise Treating
Leather, Skins, Hides, and the like.
I, RAYMOND COMBRET, of 36 Rue Washington, Paris, Doctor of Chemistry,
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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of blackings, fatty
substances, encaustics, varnishes, mordants and the like that are adapted for use
either for finishing, polishing or otherwise treating leather and skins or hides of all
kinds or for preserving leather in good condition and which substances will
hereinafter be referred to as finishing and preservative substances.
According to my invention I introduce into the said finishing and preservative
substances, which may be prepared according to various known formula or recipes,
the empyreumatic oil or tar of the birch-tree, a product which is produced in
Russia chiefly by the dry distillation of the bark of the birch tree with or without
an admixture of other materials such as portions of the coniferæ, and andromeda
polyphilli.
This product is well known in the leather-industry. It is known that the
so-called "Russia-leathers " owe in addition to their odour, also their special
properties of suppleness, strength, and imputrescibility, to impregnation with birch
oil or tar.

page_text: It is with the object of imparting to leather skins or hides of all kinds, and even
to articles which are already completely manufactured or finished and in use, a
considerable proportion of the properties possessed by the aforesaid Russia-
leathers, that I have invented this new and special application of birch-oil
or tar.
By the incorporation of the said birch oil or tar in the finishing and preservative
substances to nourish and lubricate, or by habitual use, to keep in good condition,
the surface of leather and skins of various kinds, I produce new products which I
may term "Russia " blackings, oils or fats, pastes, encaustics, varnishes, mordants,
and leathers. These new products constitute a new industrial result, and offer
decided advantages over the best compositions for like purposes, heretofore known.
Their agreeable perfume overcomes all noxious smells in the leather, skin or other
article to which they are applied, and their antiseptic, emollient, water-proof, and
preservative action will obviously render useful services in many cases.
It is not necessary to enumerate here the various formulæ and manipulations
employed in the manufacture of finishing and preservative substances to which my
invention relates, as whatever these may be the aforesaid birch oil or tar is merely
added to the formulæ without the introduction of any other material modification in
the manufacture of the substances; and the said oil or tar can be employed in all
cases and in the most general manner without any difficulty whatever.
It will be sufficient to state that the qualities and quantities of the oil or tar
employed may vary according to different circumstances, such as the nature of the
materials with which it is to be used, the selling prices of the product, the presence
of other fatty or waterproof substances and so on. I may mention, by way of
example, that the ordinary blackings for boots and shoes may advantageously
contain from 2 to 10 per cent. of the birch oil or tar.
The manner of incorporating the birch oil or tar may also vary according to
circumstances. For instance, in the case of blacking, the birch oil or tar may be
incorporated directly with the black, or be first mixed with the other fatty
substances or hydrocarbons employed; or it may be simply mixed or stirred in after
the entire ordinary treatment has been completed. In the case of light coloured
blackings or pastes which cannot be mixed with the ordinary empyreumatic oil or
tar on account of its dark colour, I may employ the lighter coloured or colourless
products resulting from the rectification by a second or third distillation of the
crude oil or tar. I may also employ alcoholic extracts of the products or various
solutions or emulsions thereof in or with other substances as for example soap, and
alkalies. I may also employ any method which will effect the object in view
whilst obviating the excess of colour which is injurious in some cases.
For the purpose of effecting a better incorporation of birch oil or tar with the
finishing or preservative substances, when it is to be absorbed therein in considerable
quantities, I may mix with the said substances, an emulsion of the said oil or tar,
the said emulsion being rendered more perfect if necessary, by the aid of centrifugal
apparatus, such as cream skimming machines, acting as emulsifiers. In consequence
of this preliminary emulsifying, my improved finishing or preservative substances
can contain much greater percentages of birch oil or tar (up to and exceeding 50%)
without hindering its complete and rapid absorption, which takes place much more
easily than by the actual impregnation or frictional application of the crude or
rectified oil or tar applied in the mass and not emulsified.
The proportions of birch oil or tar to be added to the finishing or preservative
substances may vary from 2 to 10 per cent. for all its applications. When a lighter
coloured or colourless product resulting from the rectification by a second or third
distillation of the crude oil or tar is used, the quantity thereof to be added can be
lessened by from 25% to 40% as compared with that of the crude oil or tar. If
finally emulsions are to be incorporated with the said substances, such a quantity
may be employed of the former, that the percentage of active birch oil or tar may
correspond to the quantities indicated for the application of birch oil or tar that
has not been emulsified.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described improved manufacture of finishing and preservative
substances of the kind specified suitable for treating leather, skins, hides and the
like, consisting in incorporating with said substances the empyreumatic oil or tar of
birch bark, either in the crude or rectified state, substantially as described.
2. In the manufacture of the finishing or preservative substances referred to in
the preceding claim, the use of the empyreumatic oil or tar of birch bark in the
form of an alcoholic extract or in the form of a solution or emulsion in or with
another substance, substantially as described.
3. Finishing and preservative substances produced as herein described for the
purposes set forth.
Dated this 8th day of February 1895.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.