Improvements in the Manufacture of Leather.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Leather.
We, MARCUS BRUMM, of 11, Mainzer Landstrasse, Frankfort-on-Main, in the
German Empire, Newspaper Representative, and OTTOKAR SRPEK, Ph.D., of
15, Bahnstrasse, Frankfort-on-Main, aforesaid, Chemist, and EBERHARD HAASS,
Ph.D., of Oberursel, near Frankfort-on-Main, aforesaid, Chemist, and FRITZ
KORNACHER, of 17, Zeisselstrasse, Frankfort-on-Main, aforesaid, Tanning Engineer
and Journalist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is a well-known fact that among the various kinds of leather, sheep-skin and
"bastard" sheep-skin, play a subordinate part as the looseness of texture thereof
does not admit of a fine and durable natural graining being formed thereon and
further causes the finished leather to be very liable to tear and renders it pervious
to moisture, so that its uses are confined within a very limited scope. The object
of this process is to impart to sheep-skin and "bastard" sheep-skin a fine and
durable grain (especially what is known as "natural" grain) while at the same
time improving its quality.
According to this invention the skins prepared in the well-known manner are
subjected to the usual tanning process in the tanning pit. This process, however,
is interrupted as soon as the skins have been slightly and superficially tanned,
say after about one quarter or one half of the tanning material has penetrated
them.
In this unfinished, and but slightly tanned, condition the skins are taken out
of the pit and carefully dressed in the manner in which it is now usual to dress
leather after the completion of the tanning process, such as heating flat, smoothing
bleaching, blackening, dyeing, shagreening, crimpling, or crippling, and so on in
the moist, or half-dry, state, and then provided with the graining-design. After
this the tanning process is completed and the leather finished according to any
suitable method.
Now, if the ready tanned leather, after it has been dried, is again subjected
to a brief dressing operation a grained leather will be obtained which, in beauty
and durability, will be equal to the most valuable kinds of leather at present
known.
Or the completion of the tanning process and the finishing operation may be
combined with the dressing of the half-tanned skins by repeating the latter
operation during the dressing on a table or bench, by using a suitable tanning
medium, either vegetable or mineral, which is dissolved and spread over the
skins on the flesh side, whereupon the skins are left spread out flat, or suspended,
for say from 12 to 24 hours.
Leather which has been thus subjected to the final stage of tanning in the course
of dressing and finishing has great durability.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincolns Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Leather.
We, MARCUS. BRUMM; of 71, Mainzer Landstrasse, Frankfort-on-Main, in the
German Empire;. Newspaper Representative, and OTTOKAR SRPEK, Ph.D., of
15, Bahnstrasse, Frankfort-on-Main, aforesaid, Chemist, and EBERHARD HAASS,
Ph.D., of Oberursel, near Frankfort-on-Main, aforesaid, Chemist, and FRITZ
KORNACHER, of 17, Zeisselstrasse, Frankfort-on-Main, aforesaid, Tanning Engineer
and Journalist, 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:-
"
It is a well-known fact that among the various kinds of leather, sheep-skin and
bastard" sheep-skin play a subordinate part as the looseness of texture thereof
does not admit of a fine and durable natural graining being formed thereon and
further causes the finisheil leather to be very liable to tear and renders it pervious
to moisture, so that its uses are confined within a very limited scope. The object
of this process is to impart to sheep-skin and bastard" sheep-skin a fine and
durable grain (especially what is known as "natural" grain) while at the same
time improving its quality.
According to this invention the skins prepared in the well-known manner are
subjected to the usual tanning process in the tanning pit. This process, however,
is interrupted as soon as the skins have been slightly and superficially tanned,
say after about one quarter, or one half, of the tanning material has penetrated
them.
In this unfinished, and but slightly tanned, condition the skins are taken out
of the pit and whilst in the moist, or semi-dry, state, they are carefully dressed
in the manner in which it is now usual to dress leather after the completion of
the tanning process, such as by beating flat, smoothing, bleaching, blackening,
dyeing, shagreening, erimpling or crippling and so on, and then provided with
the graining design. After this the tanning process is completed and the leather
finished according to any suitable method.
Now, if the ready tanned leather, after it has been dried, is again subjected
to a brief dressing operation, a grained leather will be obtained which, in beauty
and durability, will be equal to the most valuable kinds of leather at present
known.
Or, the completion of the tanning process and the finishing operation may be
combined with the dressing of the half-tanned skins by repeating the said process
and operation during the dressing on a table or bench, by using a suitable tanning
medium, either vegetable or mineral, which is dissolved and spread over the
skins on the flesh side, the skins being afterwards spread out flat, or suspended,
for say from 12 to 24 hours.
Leather which has been thus subjected to the final stage of tanning in the course
of dressing and finishing has great durability.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
:-
1. In the manufacture of leather from skins of the aforesaid character first
partly tanning the skins as hereinbefore explained and then whilst they are still
in a moist or semi-dried condition dressing them and afterwards completing
the tanning and finishing the leather and finally dressing again in the dried
condition.

page_text: 2. In manufacturing leather in accordance with the preceding claiming clause
the modification consisting in completing the tanning and finishing of the leather
simultaneously with the dressing operation, as hereinbefore explained.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1899.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX;
47, Lincolns Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.