Improvements in Machines for Picking Fur Skins.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1890-Accepted, 1st Mar., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Picking Fur Skins.
We, WILLIAM ALOYSIUS CONNOLLY, of 69, Catharine Street, BERNARD ALTMAN,
of 132 East 64th Street, and VICTOR ALTMAN and JULIUS ALTMAN, both of 423,
Pleasant Avenue, all in the City, County, and State, of New York, United States of
America, Furriers, 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 :—
Our Invention relates to improvements in machines for picking fur-skins; and has
for its object to provide a machine capable of automatically feeding the skin to
place, blowing the soft hair to one side and exposing thereby the coarse objectionable
hair, retaining the skin in position for clipping the coarse hair, and feeding.forward
knives to act upon the latter.
The Invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
specification, in which figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine. Figure 2 is an
elevation of the side carrying the feed-actuating mechanism. Figure 3 is a plan
view. Figure is a horizontal section, on line 4-4 figure 7. Figure 5 is an
elevation of the side of the machine, opposite to that shewn in figure 2, illustrating
the mechanism for actuating the retainers. Figure 6 is a vertical section, on
line 6-6 figures 1, 3, 4, and 7. Figure 7 is a vertical section on line 7-7 figure 6,.
the bellows nozzle being removed. Figure 8 is a plan view of the slide-way of the
retaining or clamping bars; and figure 9 is a section on line 9-9 figure 8.
Figure 10 is a partial detail view of the ratchet movement of the feeding mechanism.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of the adjustable bearings of the feed rollers.
Figure 12 is a transverse section, on line 12-12 figure 11. Figure 13 is an
enlarged transverse section, through the retainers or clamping bars, taken on
line 13-13 figure 14, illustrating in positive lines the closed position of the retainers
and in dotted lines their open position; and figure 14 is a plan view of figure 13.
Similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the
views.
The frame consists of a rectangular skeleton table 10 supported by vertical end
standards 11. To the inner face of each standard 11, at or near the centre, a vertical
bracket 12 is secured, as best illustrated in figure 7, and in said brackets the ends
of a horse 13 are loosely fitted, which horse is adapted to support the skin to be
treated, and extends upwards through the slots in the ends of the table, as shewn
in figure 3. The horse is rendered vertically adjustable by a set screw 14 passed
through the lower portion of the brackets 12 to a contact with the under edge of
the horse. The horse preferably consists of a bar of metal, rectangular in cross-
section. At each side of the horse upon the upper face of the ends of the table, a
bearing block 15, capable of lateral adjustment, is attached, as best shewn in
figures 3 and 13. In these bearing blocks the trunnions 16 of two retaining or
clamping bars 17 are journaled, which retaining bars extend slightly beyond the ends
of the table, their trunnions being integral with the outer side, as best illustrated in
figure 14. One retaining bar is located at each side of the horse 13. The retaining
bars are essentially L-shaped in cross-section, their horizontal members being of
such a length that when in the closed or horizontal position they will contact with
the fur-skin 18 passed over the horse, as illustrated in figure 13, and, in order that
the contacting members of the retainers may be carried to the elevated position,
shewn in dotted lines figure 13, and thereby permit the skin 18 to be shifted, the
inner ends of the said horizontal members are downwardly bevelled, as illustrated.

page_text: at 19. Inese retainers are preferably made of metal and upon the upper face of the
left-hand retainer a brass wear-plate 20 is secured, which plate extends from end to
end and projects beyond the outer sides. The downward movement of the horizontal
members of the retainers 17 is limited, preferably, by a set screw 21 passed through
that portion of the members extending over the ends of the table, which set screws
at their inner ends contact with the latter; thus, by adjusting the screws 21, the
downward movement of the retainers may be stopped when their upper members
are in the horizontal position, or when at a slight angle to the table, as in practice
may be desired or found most advantageous. To the extremity of the left-hand
retainer a guide block 22 is transversely secured, as best illustrated in figure 14,
which blocks are essentially rectangular in general contour and provided with an
under-cut recess upon their inner faces, as best illustrated at 23 in figure 13. The
guide blocks 22 extend rearward the length of the wear plate 20, and are connected
at their outer ends by a bar 24, and to the under face of the said connecting bar
multiple knives 25 are secured, which knives extend inward in contact with the
wear plate 20 to the end of the inner extremity of the upper member of the
retainer, as illustrated in figures 13 and 14. These knives are arranged in such
manner that their opposed side edges will contact and a sufficient number of knives
are employed to extend from one guide block 22 to the other. The cutting edges
of the knives are bevelled transversely in triangular form as illustrated at 26 and
each knife at one side of the cutting edge is provided with an essentially triangular
extension 27 which has a hearing upon the bevelled surface of the knife next to it,
thus providing a continuous cutting edge free from breaks, extending essentially
the entire length of the retainer. If an extension 27 were not provided for each
knife, no matter how close the knives might be set together, a space would intervene
sufficient to permit some of the objectionable hairs to escape being cut.
bar 28 is made to extend essentially from end to end of the right hand retainer in
contact with the upper rear surface, which bar projects beyond the outer side of the
retainer, and to the under face of the said bar 28 a continuous knife 29 is rigidly
secured, the said knife preferably consisting of a brass plate adapted to slide upon
the retainer having brazed upon its inner end a steel cutter, as illustrated at 30 in
figure 13, but the knife may be differently constructed if so desired. The knife at
intervals in its length is provided with a series of transverse slots 31 and through
each slot a set screw 32 is passed into the upper face of the retainer. Each of the
multiple knives sliding upon the left-hand retainer, is held firmly to a bearing upon
the wear plate 20 by a spring 33 secured to the bar 24 and curved downwards to a
bearing upon the plate, as best shewn in figure 3.
A
The retaining or clamping bars 17 are rocked in the following manner; A crank
arm 34 is rigidly secured to the trunnions of each retainer at one end of the table as
shewn in figures 5 and 14, and to each of said crank arms the upper end of a link 35
is pivoted, the lower ends of which links are pivotally connected to each other and
to a block 36 held to vertically slide in a slotted hanger 37 projected downwards
from one of the end standards. This block 36, shewn in detail in figures 8 and 9, rests
upon a spring cushion 38, which spring when expanded retains the block in its normal
position, shewn in figure 5, and the upper members of the retainers in the horizontal
or clamping position, illustrated in the same figure. The block 36 is acted upon by
a trip arm 39 pivoted at one extremity to the end standard of the frame forward of
the centre of said standard, as shewn in dotted lines at 40 in figure 6, and at its
centre to the block. At or near the rear end of the trip arm 39 which is free to
move and upon its inner face a pin 41 is secured, said pin being adapted for contact
with a semi-circular cam 42 fast upon a short shaft 43 located at the rear of the
machine, as shewn in figure 4, which short shaft is driven by sprocket wheels 45
and a chain 44 from a main shaft 46, the latter shaft being journaled in suitable
bearings 47 at the back of the machine, as best illustrated in figures 3, 4, and 6.
To the under side of the trip arm 39, near its rear end, a weight 48 is attached
sufficiently heavy to overcome the spring cushion 38. In operation, while the trip
arm contacts with the semi-circular face of the cam its presence is not felt by the

page_text: block 36; the said block being buoyed up by its spring cushion holds the retainers
in their horizontal or clamping position. When, however, the trip arm falls to a
contact with the back of the cam it and the attached weight 48 bears down upon the
block 36 and overcomes its spring cushion, whereby as the block is pressed downwards
the links 35 are straightened, and the retainers forced upwards to the open position,
shewn in dotted lines figure 13, carrying the knives upwards with them.
The multiple knife bar 24 actuated as follows; Four, or more, toggle arms 49
are pivoted to the said bar and to the forward side of the table 10 at suitable distances
apart each of the toggle arms at its intermediate pivotal point having attached at
both sides the upper ends of connecting bars 50 and the lower ends of each set of
connecting bars are pivotally secured to a horizontal lever 51 at or near the centre of
the latter. One end of each of the levers 51 is pivotally attached to a hanger 52
projected downwards from the front side of the machine, as best shewn in figure 6.
The levers 51 are capable of vertical movement and are held normally in a horizontal
position by springs 53 attached near the forward ends of the table. Above the
levers 51 a shaft 54 is longitudinally journaled in the standards 11, to which shaft, near
its ends, fingers 55 are rigidly secured connected by a rod 56 and as the shaft 54
revolves the rod 56 presses down the free ends of the levers 51 straightening the toggle
arms whereby the knife bar 24 and attached knives are forced forwards in the
direction of the horse 13 the knives passing over the said horse, the springs 53 acting
to draw back the knives and knife bar as soon as the rod 56 is carried out of contact
with the levers. The knife sliding upon the right hand retainer is actuated by two
levers 57 each of which levers is fulcrumed upon a stud 58 projected from the end
standards; the upper extremities of the levers are attached to the knife bar 28 and
the lower portion of each lever is curved downwardly and forwardly below its fulcrum,
terminating in the horizontal member a extending parallel with the levers 51 of the
opposed knives and the multiple knives, as best illustrated in figure 6. This member a
of the levers is normally retained in a horizontal position by a coil spring 59 attached
to its extremity and to the under surface of the table, as is also best shewn in figure 1.
The horizontal members a of the levers 57 are. acted upon by cams 60 located upon
the longitudinal shaft 54 one cam being placed adjacent to each finger 55 of said
shaft. In the revolution of the shaft 54 the cams 60 contact with, and depress,
the horizontal members a of the levers 57 before the levers 51 of the multiple knives
are acted upon by the finger rod 56. Thus, the right hand or single knife is carried
inwards over the horse first, the multiple knives following and sliding over the
single knife as the multiple knives are adapted to perform the function of
cutting.
A bellows 61 is held horizontally over the top of the machine, being secured. to
standards 62 or their equivalent, fastened to the rear side of the table. This bellows
is of sufficient length, preferably, to extend essentially from end to end of the
machine and is provided with a weight or weights 63 upon the top near the rear and
a downwardly-curved nozzle 64 the outlet or mouth of which nozzle is in vertical
alignment with the horse over which the skin is placed, as shewn in figure 6. At
each end of the bellows one end of a link 65 is pivoted, the lower ends of the links
being attached to horizontal bars 66, one of said bars being pivotally secured at the
front of the machine, near each end, the forward ends of the bars being so located
that when in a horizontal position their rear ends will extend over and rest upon the
main drive shaft 46. These bars 66 are lifted at stated intervals by essentially
hook-shaped cams 67 fast upon the said drive shaft 46 as illustrated in figures 6 and 7.
The shaft 54, carrying the finger bar 56 and the cams 60, is driven from the main
shaft 46 the said shaft 54, to that end, being provided at one extremity with a sprocket
wheel 68 and the main shaft having a similar sprocket wheel 69, the two wheels
being connected by a chain belt 70. To the inner face of each end standard,
beneath the bracket 12 in which the horse is located, a horizontal bracket 71 is
attached, the said bracket being essentially Z-shaped and having one of its members
only rigidly secured to the standard, as best shewn in figure 4, whereby the other

page_text: member extends horizontally beneath the horse 13 a distance from the inner face of
the standards.
In the centre of the free member b of the brackets, the extremities of a small
carrying roller 72 are journaled and at each side of this carrying roller a longitudinal
slot 73 is produced in the member b in which slots boxes 74 are held to slide, as
illustrated in detail in figures 11 and 12, and in each of the opposed boxes 74 of the
brackets 71 the trunnions of a friction roller 75 are journaled, which friction rollers
are of greater diameter than the carrying roller 72 one of the friction rollers being
located at each side of the carrying roller, as shewn in figure 6; the said friction
rollers may be adjusted to and from the carrying roller by means of set screws 76 one
of which set screws is passed through each end of the bracket members 6 to an
engagement with a box 74. Upon the right-hand end of the carrying roller 72 a
pinion 76 is secured which pinion meshes with a spur wheel 77 upon the inner end
of a spindle 78 journaled in the left hand standard 11 and a hanger 79 projected
downwards from the right hand bracket 71, as illustrated in figure 7; the spindle 78
projects beyond the standard and has secured to its outer end a ratchet wheel 80. An
arm 81 is loosely mounted upon the spindle 78 at the rear of the ratchet wheel 80,
which arm is of sufficient length to extend beyond the periphery of the ratchet wheel,
as shewn in figure 2, and to the lower end of said arm a dog 82 is pivoted and retained
in contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel by a spring 83 attached also to the arm
and having a bearing upon the dog. At the rear of the machine a counter shaft 84
is journaled in the right hand standard 11 and a suitable bracket attached to the
back of the frame which counter-shaft is connected by suitable sprocket wheels and a
belt 85 to the main drive shaft 46, as best shewn in figure 4. The countershaft
projects beyond the right hand standard and has attached to its outer end a crank
disc 86 and a link connection 87 is effected between the said crank disc and the lower
extremity of the loosely mounted arm 81 whereby as the countershaft is revolved the
arm 81 is drawn upwards sufficiently to move the ratchet wheel a given number of
teeth, whereupon the central roller 72 is also moved. The ratchet wheel 80 may be,
and preferably is, provided with an attached handle 88 whereby it may be revolved
by hand and a pawl 89 is pivoted upon the standard contacting with the upper
portion of the ratchet wheel to stop its backward movement.
The fur skin to be treated is placed over the horse 13 being carried upward in
contact with the rollers 72 and 75, as shewn in figures 6 and 13; in practice a
strip of canvas is secured to each end of the skin in order that the fur at the
extremities of the skin may be successfully treated and tension be exerted upon the
skin by the ends of the canvas being retained between the friction and carrying
rollers.
In operation, the skin having been placed in position upon the horse and the
retainers having been carried to their upper or open position, shewn in dotted lines in
figure 13, upon the revolution of the drive shaft 46 the bellows 61 is inflated and a
jet of air brought to bear upon the surface of the skin at the top of the horse, which
jet of air blows the soft hair down upon each side leaving the strong coarse hair
standing. The further revolution of the drive shaft at this moment acts upon the
mechanism described as actuating the retainers and forces them down to their closed
position whereby the retainers contacting with the downwardly-slanting soft hairs
hold them in this position. As soon as the retainers are brought to this closed position
the air-jet ceases and the mechanism controlling the knives is acted upon and the
multiple knives being carried over the single opposed knife, the standing hairs are
thereby cut to within about one-sixteenth of an inch of the skin. As soon as the
knives have operated, the knife levers 51 and 57 are relieved from pressure and
restored to their normal position by the springs 53 and 59 and at this moment the
retainers are forced to their open position, the feed mechanism is acted upon by the
main shaft, and the skin fed over the horse to present the entire surface to the jet of
air which is again forced upon the skin by the action of the bellows; and so the
operation is repeated until the entire length of the skin has been successfully treated.

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, we declare that what we
claim is ;
1. In a fur picking machine, the combination with a horse, of retaining or
clamping bars, journaled one at each side of said horse, capable of vertical movement,
substantially as shewn and described.
2. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a vertically-adjustable horse, of
retaining or clamping bars, journaled one at each side of the said horse, having
beveled inner flanges and capable of a vertical rocking movement, substantially as
shewn and described.
3. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse, of retaining or
clamping bars, journaled one at each side of the said horse, capable of a vertical
rocking movement, and a bellows arranged to direct a blast of air upon the horse,
substantially as shewn and described.
4. In a machine for picking fur, the combination, with a horse, and retaining or
clamping bars, journaled one at each side of the same, capable of a vertical rocking
movement, of a bellows arranged to direct an air blast upon the upper side of the
horse, a drive shaft, and a connection, substantially as shewn and described, between
the drive shaft the bellows and the retaining bars whereby the bellows is depressed
before the retaining bars are in their closed position, as and for the purpose
specified.
5. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse a main or drive shaft
retaining or clamping bars journaled one at each side of the horse and crank arms
attached to one end of said retaining bars, of links pivotally attached to said crank
arms at one end and to one another, and a spring-actuated sliding block at the other
end, a lever fulcrumed at one extremity and attached near its centre to the sliding
block, a counter-shaft, a cam carried by said counter-shaft contacting with the free
end of the lever, and a connection between the counter and drive shafts, substantially
as shewn and described.
6. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse and rocking retaining
or clamping bars journaled one at each side of the same, of a series of knives held
to slide upon said bars capable of moving forward over the horse when the retaining
bars are in their locked position, substantially as shewn and described.
7. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse and rocking retaining
or clamping bars journaled one at each side of the same, of a series of connected
knives held to slide upon one of the retaining bars and a single knife arranged to
slide upon the other retaining bar, substantially as shewn and described.
8. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse and rocking retaining
or clamping bars journaled one at each side of the same, of a series of knives held
to slide upon one of the rocking bars provided with a diagonally-bevelled cutting
edge and a lip projected from one end of the said edge and a single blade arranged
to slide upon the opposite retaining bar, substantially as shewn and described.
9. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse and rocking retaining
or clamping bars journaled one at each side of the horse, of a series of connected
knives, held to slide upon one of the retaining bars, each provided with a diagonally-
bevelled cutting edge and a lip extending from one end of said edge overlapping
the contacting edge of the next knife a single knife held to slide upon the opposite
retaining bar and means, substantially as shewn and described, for moving the
multiple knives over the single knife, as and for the purpose specified.
10. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse and rocking retaining
or clamping bars journaled one at each side of the same a brass wear plate being
secured upon the upper surface of one of said retaining bars, of a series of knives
held to slide upon the said wear plate each provided with a diagonally bevelled
cutting edge and a lip extending from one end of said edge capable of overlapping
the next knife a single adjustable knife held to slide upon the opposite retaining bar
and means, substantially as described, for moving the opposed knives inwards over

page_text: the horse and the multiple knives over the single knife, as and for the purpose
specified.
11. In a fur picking machine, a cutting blade comprising a body bar and a series
of knives attached to the same each knife being provided with a diagonally-hevelled
cutting edge and a lip projected from one end of the said edge, the lip of one knife
extending over and upon the cutting edge of the next knife, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
12. In a fur picking machine, a knife provided with a diagonally-bevelled cutting
edge and a lip at one end forming a continuation of said cutting edge, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
13. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse a rocking retaining or
clamping bar journaled at each side of the same and knives movably supported by
said retaining bars, of curved levers attached to the body bar of one knife toggle
arms pivoted to the body bar of the opposed knife or knives, trip levers, a link
connection between the trip levers and toggle arms, a counter-shaft provided with a
cam contacting with the curved levers and a crank arm contacting with the trip
levers, a drive shaft and a connection, substantially as described, between the
counter-shaft and drive shaft, as and for the purpose specified.
14. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse and rocking retaining
or clamping bars journaled one at each side of the horse, of knives held to slide over
the retaining bars and horse, a bellows arranged to direct a blast of air upon the
horse, a drive shaft and connections between said drive shaft the retaining bars and
the knives and bellows, which connections are so timed that the bellows will be
depressed before the retaining bars are closed and the knives forced over the horse
when the retaining bars are in their closed position, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
15. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with a horse and a guide roller
journaled beneath the same, of a friction roller located at each side of the guide
roller, and means, substantially as shewn and described, for actuating the guide
roller as and for the purpose specified.
16. In a fur picking machine, the combination, with an adjustable horse and a
guide roller journaled beneath the same, of an adjustable friction roller journaled at
each side of the guide roller, a ratchet-wheel connected with the guide roller, a
drive shaft, a counter-shaft connected with the drive shaft and a dog actuated from
the countershaft adapted for contact with the ratchet wheel, substantially as shewn
and described.
17. In a fur picking machine, the combination with a horse, a rocking retaining or
clamping bar, journaled at each side of the horse, and knives held to slide
upon the said retaining bars, of a bellows arranged to direct a blast of air upon the
horse, a guide roller journaled beneath the horse in vertical alignment therewith and
adjustable friction rollers at each side of the guide roller in horizontal alignment
therewith; a drive shaft and a connection between the said drive shaft, the retaining
bars, the knives, the bellows, and the guide roller, substantially as shewn and
described, whereby the skin is first shifted upon the horse subjected to a blast from
the bellows clamped by the retaining bars and then the objectionable hairs removed
therefrom by the knives, as herein set forth.
Dated this 21st day of January 1690.
vated this 21st day of January 1090.
W. A. CONNOLLY.
B. ALTMAN.
V. ALTMAN.
J. ALTMAN.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.