A NEW MACHINE FOR SPLITTING HIDES AND SKINS
Year: 1828

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
DUXBURY, of Pomeroy Street, Kent Road, in the County of Surrey, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Ninth day of October, in the ninth year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Henry Duxbury, His especial licence that I, the said Henry. Duxbury, my
exors, admiors, or assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Duxbury, my
exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed;
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A NEW
MACHINE FOR SPLITTING HIDES AND SKINS;" in which said Letters Patent there
is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Henry Duxbury, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto bad, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Duxbury, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained in manner following, that is to say:-
My new machine for splitting hides and skins is represented in the Drawing
hereunto annexed, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of the whole machine
viewed in front; Figure 2, an elevation taken sideways; and Figure 3, an
elevation of the back of the machine. The hide or skin that is to be split by
my machine is wrapped around the circumference of a circular roller N, which
is smaller in diameter at the middle part of its length than at its two ends, in
order that the hide or skin, when spread and extended upon the surface of the
roller N, may lie very evenly stretched out at every part; in consequence of
the form of the said surface being adapted to the natural growth of hides
or skins, a proper extension will be given to the flanks or wide parts at the
outside or corners as well as to the middle parts of the hide or skin. The
knives or cutters G, by which the cutting and splitting of the hide or skin is
performed, are fastened around the circular edge of a large vertical wheel F,
the knives being joined together end to end, so as to form a large circular hoop
of thin steel plate G; the exterior circumference of the hoop G corresponds
exactly to the surface of the roller N, upon which the hide or skin is spread, as
aforesaid, and the thin hedge of the hoop, which projects forwards beyond the
flat surface of the wheel F in the manner of a rim, is ground to a sharp
cutting edge. The large wheel F is poised truly upon its axis II, each end
of which is mounted horizontally in suitable bearings supported by a strong
framing A, B, C, D. The wheel F is turned continually round with a steady
motion by the power of millwork, which is transmitted to it by an endless
strap or belt, applied upon a pulley I at one end of the axis II. The cutting
edge of the circular hoop of knives G is made exactly circular about the
axis H, and forms a correct plane at right angles thereto, so that the said
edge will not vary as it turns round with the wheel F, but will run very truly.
The axis of the roller N is placed horizontally beneath the large vertical
wheel F, tho central line of the axis being situated in the same vertical plane
as the circular cutting edge of the hoop of knives G. The axis of the roller
N is mounted in bearings, which are supported by standards T, T, erected on
cross sills C, D, of the wood framing. The curved surface of the roller N,
whercon the hide or skin is spread and fastened, is made very truly circular
about its axis, so that the said surface will not vary at all when the roller is
turned round with its axis, and also the curvature of that surfaco in tho
direction of the length of the roller is formed to correspond precisely with tho
curvature of the circular cutting edge of the hcop of knives G. The

page_text: bearings for the axis of the roller N are fitted into upright, grooves in tho
standards T, and rest upon the ends of perpendicular levelling screws, by
means of which either or both of the said bearings can be raised up or let
down in order to adjust the height of the roller N beneath the vertical
wheel F, so as to leave a narrow space of uniform width between the surface
of the roller N and the circular cutting edge, the width of that space being
equal to the thickness to which it is intended to reduce the hide or skin that
is spread and fastened on the surface of the roller N. That reduction is
performed by the cutting edge of the circular hoop of knives G, which, as it
moves with a rapid continuous motion, cuts away and splits or peels off from
that side of the hide or skin which is outermost upon the roller N.all that.
part of its natural thickness, whereby the same exceeds the width of the
narrow-space left between the surface of the roller N and the said cutting:
edge. The roller N is turned slowly and continually round by means of a
I large toothed wheel M at one end of its axis, the teeth thereof being gradually
advanced by a worm formed upon a cross axis L, on which a pulley,d is also
fixed, and communicates by an endless strap or belt e with a corresponding
pulley K, fixed on tho axis H of the great wheel F. The motion of that wheel
is thereby slowly transmitted to the roller N, and turns it round in the proper
direction to carry forwards the hide or skin with a regular and progressive.
motion towards the circular cutting edge of the hoop of knives G, which being
in motion acts with a rapidly-drawing cut, so as to divide the thickness.
of the hide or skin into two thicknesses, by splitting and peeling off a film
from the outside surface of it as fast as the hide or skin is carried
forwards against the cutting edge by the motion of the roller N, as afore
said. By this means the under part of the hide or skin which remains
wrapped round the roller N is reduced to a very even thickness, and the other
part which is so split off froin the outside forms a continuous surface, which.
turns up above the cutting edge withinside of the circular hoop of knives
(at the part where that hoop projects forwards like a rim in front of the great
wheel F), and the split portion of the hide or skin is rolled up around a small
roller W, so as to be gathered up as fast as it is cut and split off from the
other part of the hide or skin. During the operation of cutting or splitting
the hide or skin, it is confined and held firmly down in close contact with the
surface of the roller N by the pressure of the lower edge of a broad flat bar of
iron P, V, which I call the governor. It is placed edgeways upwards over
the roller N in front of the large wheel F, and the two ends of the bar P, V,
are fitted into upright grooves formed in brackets a, a, fixed to the wood
framing, whereby the bar P, V, is at liberty to rise and fall, but cannot

page_text: advance or recede. The lower edge V of the bar is curved on its length to
correspond exactly with the curvature of the surface of the roller N, and the
angles of that lower edge are rounded off very smoothly, in order that the
outside surface of the hide or skin may slide and pass easily across the said
edge when the same is pressed down upon the said surface by the weight of the
bar P, V, and whilst the hide or skin is moving forwards towards the cutting
edge G by the motion of the roller N. The governor P, V, is placed close in
front of the plane of the circular cutting edge of the hoop of knives, in order:
that the rounded edge of the governor may press down and confine the hide
or skin very closely upon the surface of the roller N at the part where the
outting and splitting takes place. The outside part of the hide or skin which
is split off and separated from the other part turns up behind the governor P,
between the upright side or back thereof and the face of the large wheel F,
and passing through a long crevice or opening U in the governor to the front.
side thereof, where the edge or margin of the split portion is made fast to a
small roller W, which is mounted on pivots in bearings fixed in front of the.
governor. The workmen who attends the operation of the machine turns this
roller slowly round by means of the small handle X at the end of its axis, and
thus gathers up the split portion of the hide or skin as fast as it is cut of
split off from the other portion, which remains wrapped around the surface of
the roller N. The governor P, V, can be lifted up at pleasure by means of
chains f, f, affixed to each end of it, which wrap around two pullies g, fixed
at the ends of a horizontal axis R, situated over the governor, and supported
in bearings affixed to the wood frame. A handle or lever Q is fixed to
this axis, and extends out within reach of the workman, who, by depressing
the end of the handle Q, can at any time raise the governor from off the hide
or skin, in order to release it when finished, and give room to apply a fresh
one upon the roller N, and the handle can be detained by a hook. The cog
wheel M is not fixed fast upon the end of the axis of the roller N, but it is
fitted loose thereon, and can be made fast or let loose at pleasure by means of
a clutch box S, which slides upon the axis, and has teeth upon it suitably
formed to fit into corresponding teeth around the central part of the wheel M.
The clutch box is fitted upon the axis with a key, so that it cannot slip round
about the same, consequently when its teeth are brought in contact with those
of the central part of the wheel M, it will fasten that wheel to the axis, and
cause it to turn the roller N round; but if the clutch S is slided along
the axis by means of the lever handler, so as to disengage it from the wheel
M, then the roller N can be turned round by hand, in order to take out
the finished hide or skin, without stopping the motion of any other parts of

page_text: .
the machine. When a fresh skin is to be applied, it is spread out evenly
over the surface of the roller N, so as to adapt itself fairly thereto, with its
grain side in contact with the roller, and to fasten it thereto the upper edgo
or margin of the hide or skin is put down into a groove, which is formed
along all the length of the roller N, as shewn at O, Figure 1, and then.
several wedges, which are adapted to jamb fast into that groove, are inserted
into it by the side of the hide or skin, so as to pinch it in the groove, and thus
hold the margin of the hide or skin fast. These wedges sink into the groove
below the surface of the roller N, so as to be out of the reach of the cutting
edge. The hide or skin being thus fastened upon the surface of the roller N,
it is turned round by hand until the groove and wedges are brought near to
the cutting edge, and then the wheel M being engaged with the axis of the
roller N by means of its sliding clutch S and lever handle, the roller N will
be turned slowly round by the machinery described as before. When that
part of the margin of the hide or skin which turns down into the groove O
arrives at the cutting edge, the governor is let down by releasing its lever
handle Q, and by pressing with its weight upon the outside surface or flesh
side of the hide or skin, confines the same in very close contact with the
surface of the roller N. As fast as the hide or skin is carried against the
cutting edge, by the progressive motion of the roller N, the division or splitting
of the skin is performed, as before described. For sheep skins, or any other
skins of light description, it will be more desirable to use hooks for fastening
the same to the roller N, these hooks being fixed within the groove O, and
the margin of the skin being turned down into the groove, and hooked upon
the points of the hooks. The flesh side, which is split off from the grain side
of the skin, turns up behind the governor, and passes through the opening U
in the governor into the front, where the workman can get held of it, and as
it comes forwards he draws it up and fastens it by small wedges into a groove
formed in the surface of the small roller W, which being regularly turned
round, as before stated, winds or rolls up the split portion of the hide or skin.
During the operation of splitting, the workman keeps a constant watch upon
the hide or skin at the place where it passes beneath the governor, and by
rubbing down and spreading out the hide or skin very evenly upon the surface
of the roller, he causes it to lay fair without any folds or wrinkles, in order
that it may be evenly split and divided. The form of the roller N being
adapted to the shape of a hide or skin, as before stated, enables the same
to be more evenly extended, and consequently to be split with greater accu-
racy and certainty than if the roller were a straight cylinder, such as is used
in the old machines for splitting hides and skins; also, the circular knife

page_text: moving always one way, and with great rapidity, cuts more keenly and
evenly than a knife which moves alternately backwards and forwards through
á short space, as in the old machines for splitting hides and skins.
Having now described my new machine, and its manner of action, I shall
point out such particulars as require care in the execution, and also certain
variations which may be made in its construction. The dimensions of all the
principal parts may be found from the scale of the Drawing. The wood frame
must be very solidly put together, and so firmly secured by iron braces E, E,
Figure 2, as to avoid tremor or vibration from the motion of the wheel; or a
framing of cast iron may be used instead of wood. The great wheel F is
made of cast iron, and must have sufficient strength in the arms and rim to
resist change of figure by its weight and swinging motion. The outside edgo
of the wheel is made true by turning it with a suitable tool after the wheel is
mounted in its place on its own bearings. The spaces between the arms of
the wheel may be filled up with thin wood boarding to avoid fanning the air.
The knives are made of tempered steel plate, about one-eighth of an inch
thick by four inches and three-quarters broad, and in such lengths as can be
conveniently made; they are applied upon the outside edge of the wheel and
bent to the curvature thereof, being firmly fastened by small screws put through
the plate and tapped into the edge of the wheel; the heads of the screws are
Great
countersunk into the plate, so as to be flush on the outside thereof.
care must be taken to join the different lengths or knives correctly end to end,
so that they may form one complete hoop. When fixed fast in their places, the
cutting edge projects forwards about two inches beyond the edge or face of
the wheel, and the bevil by which the edge is made sharp is withinside of the
hoop, the outside of the hoop being a smooth and true circular surface. The
roller N is made of wood staves, joined accurately together side by side, and
fastened by screws to the edges of iron wheels which are fixed upon the axis.
The outside of the roller N is made very true by turning it upon its own
bearings, or the roller may be made of cast iron, turned true. The cog wheel
M, by which the roller N is turned round, has eighty-four teeth, and the worm
or endless screw moves it forwards one tooth every time it makes a revolution.
The pullics d and K are nearly of the same size, but they may be varied, as is
found best for splitting different kinds of hides or skins. The great wheel F
may be turned round by power at the rate of from fifteen to forty times per
minute. A machine of the dimensions represented in the Drawing is capable
of splitting hides or skins five feet wide by ten feet in length, and will also
split smaller ones; but for smaller hides or skins it is adviseable to use
machines of lesser dimensions, though made after the same proportions as the

page_text: Drawings. If the roller N is of such a size that the hide or skin which is to
be spilt will nearly but not quite reach round it, that size will be better than
a larger machine; but the size and proportions of the machine must neverthe-
less be varied according to the size and strength of the hides or skins, at the
discretion of a competent workman. The governor may be made on the plan
represented in Figure 6, with a number of sliders of iron Y placed in a row
side by side in an upright position, their lower ends bearing upon the surface
of the hide or skin. Each slider has a slit or oblong opening through the
middle of it, as is shewn by y, and the straight bar P, P, passing horizontally
through the slits, retains them all in one row; but as each slider can rise or
fall by its own weight, independently of its neighbours, they can accomodate
themselves to inequalities in the thickness of the hido or skin. This kind of
governor may be used in place of that represented in Figure 4. Note.-I do
not claim the row Y of detached sliders in the governor, Figure 6, as a part
of my Invention, although I have described it here to shew how it may bo
applied to my new machine.
The cutting edge of the circular hoop of knives may be sharpened from time
to time when necessary by applying a suitable whetstone against the bevelled
edge withinside of the hoop whilst the wheel is turning round. Figure 5 in the
Drawing is a sketch to explain how two rollers N may be applied to the same
great wheel or circular hoop of knives in order to split two hides or skins at
the same time, or one may be split in the interval whilst the other is fixing on
the roller N. The axes of the two rollers N, N, cannot be horizontal, but must
be both inclined in opposite directions, as is shewn in the sketch; cach roller is
turned round by its own wheelwork at M, M, and they act quite independantly
of one another; but the same circular cutting edge serves for both. A
competent workman, will need no further instructions how to make the
application of two rollers, because the moving machinery is just the same as
before described; but the fixed framing requires to be adapted to support the
bearings for the two inclined axes of the two rollers N, N.
My new machine may be constructed with only a segment or portion of the
large wheel F, and the hoop of knives instead of the complete circle; in that
case such segments must be moved alternately backwards and forwards to
cut with a swinging motion about its axis of motion, like that of a pendulum,
instead of moving continually forwards. Such construction would be less
expensive in the first instance, but it would not cut so rapidly.
Having now described my new machine for splitting hides and skins, I do
hereby declare that the Invention, to which I claim an exclusive use by virtue
of the aforesaid Letters Patent, is, the use of such a roller as is herein-before

page_text: described to receive the hides or skins, and which roller is larger at the ends
than in the middle, in order that the hides or skins when wrapped around the
surface thereof may be spread out equally at the outside parts or flanks as
well as at the middle parts; also the use of a circular hoop of knives with a
cutting edge, such as is herein-before described, in order to split the hide or
skin when wrapped around a roller formed as aforesaid, larger at the ends
than in the middle; and although such circular hoop of knives has been
herein-before described as an entire circle, which turns round continually in
the same direction, nevertheless if it is only a segment or portion of a circle
which is moved backwards and forwards the same will in either case be a part
of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Duxbury, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of April, One thousand eight hundred