IMPROVEMENTS IN REMOVING HAIRS FROM HIDES AND SKINS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Squire, of Latchford, in the County of
Chester, Tanner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REMOVING HAIRS
FROM HIDES AND SKINS."--A communication.
Sealed the 5th October 1855, and dated the 5th April 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Squire at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th April 1855.
I, the said THOMAS SQUIRE, of Latchford, in the County of Chester, Tanner,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REMOVING HAIRS FROM HIDES AND SKINS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the use of the substance known to chemical
manufacturers as alkali waste, or I employ the said waste in combination
with lime. The materials in their solid form may be placed in a vessel of
water together with the hides or skins, or a solution previously obtained from
the waste may be employed...

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Squire in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SQUIRE, of Latchford, in the County of Chester, Tanner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Squire, Her especial licence that I, the said Thomas Squire, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Squire, 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, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REMOVING HAIRS FROM HIDES OR SKINS," a communication from a foreigner
residing abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Squire, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 Thomas Squire, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in the use of the substance known among chemical
manufacturers as alkali waste, with or without the combination of lime, or equi-
valent substance thereto. The precise method of operating may be varied to a
considerable extent, but I will point out a plan which I have found to answer
the purpose. I first of all obtain a liquor by allowing water to run through the
soda waste, exposing it at the same time in a large heap to the action of
atmospheric air; the liquid so obtained is collected. in suitable tanks, and to it
is added lime, or other alkali, or alkaline earth, in the proportion of about
twenty-eight pounds to every eight hundred gallons, but the quantity is not
material. Into this compound the hides or skins to be unhaired are plunged,
and allowed to remain a sufficient time; from six to twelve hours will gene-

page_text: rally answer; but this will easily be arrived at by all competent persons. I
have above mentioned the use of lime, or other alkali, or alkaline earth in
combination with the liquid obtained from alkali waste, but the latter will
answer the purpose alone, the former merely hastening the completion of the
process; and it is therefore for this reason that the quantity of lime, &c. to be
used is not material; care, however, should be taken not to add too much, as
its action upon the hide would be injurious.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood
that although the above process acts probably by the presence of hydrosul-
phuret of calcium, I do not lay claim to the use thereof derived from other
sources; but that which I do claim as secured to me under the above in part
recited Letters Patent is, the use of the substance known as alkali waste, either
alone or in combination with lime, or other alkali, or alkaline earth, for the
purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Squire, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
THOS SQUIRE. (L.S.)