IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUFFING OR GROUNDING MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Meredith Jones, of Wrexham, in the County of
Denbigh, North Walos, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUFFING OR
GROUNDING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Meredith Jones at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th September 1880.
JOHN MEREDITH JONES, of Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, North Wales.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUFFING OR GROUNDING MACHINES."
My improvements relate to machines for grinding down or softening skins or
leather, and producing thereon a nappy or fluffy surface, and consist of an emery
wheel, a brush wheel, or similar elastic roller, a treadle, a feed table, together with
riggers or pulley wheels for driving the emery and brush wheels referred to. These
pulley wheels with the treadle itself are fixed in a suitable holding frame. The
emery and brush wheels are placed more or less vertically while the feed table is
inclined downwards toward theso wheels. The brush wheel is so arranged that it may
be brought to exert a greater or less amount of pressure against the emery wheel
by varying the pressure upon the treadle. The brush wheel in some cases is made
to rotato at a less velocity than that of the emery wheel. In order to grind down
or soften skins or leather, and to produce thereon a nappy or fluffy surface, an
attendant workman places one or the other upon the feed table, and allows the
skin or leather to pass between the surfaces of the brush and emery wheels; at the
same time the workman pressing upon the treadlo with his foot, raises the brush
wheel in such a manner as to cause the emery wheel to abrade or grind away such
portions of the surface of the skin or leather as may be necessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
-
by the said John Meredith Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th March 1881.
JOHN MEREDITH JONES, of Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh, North Wales.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FLUFFING OR GROUNDING MACHINES.”
My improvements relate to machines for grounding or softening skins or leather,
and producing thereon a nappy or fluffy surface, and consist of an emery or grinding
wheel and brush wheel, or similar contrivance, together with a treadle device, a
feed table, and a fan, all substantially in the inanner herein after described.
The emery wheel and brush wheel, or its equivalent, are contained within a
partially closed casing, and between them is arranged the feed table which is placed
at an angle. The lower wheel may be covered with hair brushes, rubber, or any
similar elastic substances, and may either be made fast to and revolve with its
spindle, or may run loose upon it. The upper or grinding wheel may be covered
with emery, sand, or glass cloth, wire cards, similar to those used in carding
machines, or any suitable grinding substances.
The brush wheel or its equivalent is so arranged that it may be brought to exert
a-greater-or-less-amount of pressure against the cniery wheel by varying the
-pressure upon the treadle. Provision is made for imparting motion-to-the-emery_
wheel, brush wheel, or roller, or similar contrivance-and-the fan, the brush wheel
in some cases being caused to rotate at a loss velocity than that of the emery wheel.
In operating this apparatus in order to ground down or soften skins or leather, and
to produce thereon a nappy or fluffy surface, an attendant workman places one or
the other upon the feed table, and allows the skin or leather to pass between the
surfaces of the brush wheel or its equivalent in such a manner as to cause the
emery wheel to abrade or ground away such portions of the surface of the skin or
leather as may be necessary. The material removed by the emery wheel is carried
or driven away from the machine by means of the fan.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the sanio letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a sectional elevation of a
machine constructed according to my said Invention. Fig. 2 is a part end elovation
of the same, and Fig. 3 is an end view also partly in section. Fig. 4 is a sectional
view shewing method of attaching table to frame.
A is a partially closed chamber or casing, within which is mounted so as to be
capable of revolving an emery wheel B, the shaft a of the wheel having its bearings
in the sido cheeks b, b, of the chamber, at a suitable distance below the emery
wheel B. In the chinimber A is arranged a rotating brush wheel C, or similar elastic
roller, the shaft c of which has its bearings in a trendle frame D mounted on a
centre d outside the casing A. By the act of depressing the treadle lever D' of the
frame D, the brush wheel or its equivalent may be brought into closer proximity to
the emery wheel, whilst it is maintained at a suitable distance from the said emery
wheel B by means of its own weight, when the trendle lever is not acted upon by
the attendant. The emery wheel B slightly protrudes through an opening at fin
the casing A, and below it and between it and the brush wheel or roller C is an
inclined feed table E, having an opening at g immediately over the said brush
wheel or roller. On this feed tablo (which may be covered with sheet zinc or other
smooth substance) is placed, say, for example, a skin to be operated upon, which is
caused to pass between the emery wheel B and the brush wheel or roller C; the
attendant then depresses the treadle lever D', thus raising the brush wheel or roller

page_text: so as to cause the same to press the skin into intimate contact with the emery
wheel B, and rotating motion being imparted to the latter and to the brush wheel
or roller C, the skin is ground or softened, and a fluffy surface is produced thereon.
The material removed by the emery wheel enters the chamber A through grated
openings h, and is drawn away from tho apparatus by means of an exhaust fan F.
Motion may be imparted to the emery wheel B, brush wheel or roller C, and
fan F in any suitable manner.
In the example illustrated, motion is communicated from the driving shaft G to
the emery wheel B by means of a strap and pullies i, and thence to the fan F by
means of a strap and pullies k, the motion of the brush wheel or roller c being
derived direct from the driving shaft G through the intervention of a crossed strap
and pullies Z.
The motion of the treadle D¹, and consequently the degree of pressure applied to
the brush wheel or roller C, may be limited by means of an adjustable screw
stop m.
Doors H are provided in the casing A for access to its interior.
In lieu of using a brush wheel or elastic roller, brushes mounted on an endless
travelling band may be employed. This endless band with the brushes mounted
thereon may be brought into contact with the emery wheel by means of a treadle,
in the manner herein before described with reference to the brush wheel or elastic
roller.
I claim as my Invention,―
The combination of an emery or grinding wheel, a brush wheel, or an equivalent
contrivance, as herein set forth, a treadle device, a feed table, and a fan, all
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Meredith Jones, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of March, in the yoar of our Lord Oue
thousand eight hundred and eighty one
J. M. JONES. (L.S.)