IMPROVEMENTS IN PROTECTING DRY OR GREEN HIDES FROM VERMIN
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philippe Urbain Payras, of No. 15, Passage des
Petites Ecuries, in the City of Paris, in the Empire of France, Com-
mission Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROTECTING DRY
OR GREEN HIDES FROM VERMIN.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philippe Urbain Payras
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th May 1862.
J, PHILIPPE URBAIN PAYRAS, of No. 15, Passage des Petites Ecuries, in the
City of Paris, in the Empire of France, Commission Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROTECTING DRY OR
GREEN HIDES FROM VERMIN," to be as follows:-
I propose to preserve dry or green hides or skins from vermin by steeping
them in a liquid formed of a mixed solution of sulphate and chlorure of zinc
marking fifteen degrees by "Baumé's" aerometer, sometimes adding from eight
to ten grains of arsenic to every quart of liquid; but this addition is not
absolutely essential. Instead of steeping or dipping the hides or skins in the
liquid it may be applied with a brush to the under side of the hide, that is
to say, the side which adhered to the flesh of the animal. This latter mode
of operating is preferable for hides or skins which after tanning are still to
retain their hair or wool; not that tho liquid. above described will, in any way

page_text: injure the wool or hair, but simply to economize the quantity that would be
uselessly absorbed thereby if the hide were steeped in the liquid. With
respect to hides with short hair, such as are obtained from cattle, it will be
found economical to immerse them in the liquid, from which, however, they
will be instantly withdrawn.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Philippe Urbain Payras in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PHILIPPE
URBAIN PATRAS, of No. 15, Passage des Petites Ecuries, in the City of
Paris, in the Empire of France, Commission Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Philippe Urbain Payras, Her special licence that I, the said Philippe
Urbain Payras, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Philippe Urbain Payras, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROTECTING DRY OR GREEN HIDES FROM VERMIN," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Philippe Urbain Payras, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Philippe Urbain Payras, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 consists in a process, the effect of which is to preserve for
an indefinite period skins or hides of every description, whether dry or green,

page_text: protecting them infallibly from the attacks of vermin, and consequently sup-
pressing the operation of beating and salting, and for this purpose I use a mixed
solution of sulphate and clorure of zinc marking fifteen degrees by "Baumé's "
aerometer, sometimes adding from eight to ten grains of arsenic for every
quart of this liquid. The presence of the arsenic not being essentially neces-
sary, I reserve the option of using or not using this body. From its simplicity,
the application of my process is exceedingly easy, and does not necessitate the
use of any plant, the cost of which need be taken into consideration.
In fact,
a trough, or simply a stone vat, into which the liquid above mentioned is
introduced, constitutes the entire plant. The operation is then effected by
applying with a brush or otherwise a coating of my liquid on that part of the
hide only which has adhered to the flesh. To operate more rapidly, the hides
may be immersed in the liquid, and this method is most preferable for bidés
with hair, such as have oxen and horses. With respect to woolly or furry
skins, which if plunged into the liquid would absorb a large quantity in pure
waste, it will be found most economical to simply coat them (using a brush)
on the side which adhered to the flesh. Or the operation may be effected in
the most easy or economical manner, as the liquid, the subject of this Inven-
tion, does not exercise any hurtful action on the wools or hair, however
delicate or fine. This operation will henceforth suffice to guarantee dry or
green hides from the invasions of vermin, and from putrefaction, permitting
their preservation for an indefinite period, and consequently their distant
transportation without salting. To sum up, by the use of the liquid, the
subject of this Invention, hides of every description may be indefinitely
preserved without beating or salting them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philippe Urbain Payras, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, in the
voor of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty two
P. U. PAYRAS. (L.S.)