IMPROVEMENTS IN FLESHING MACHINES, SUCH MACHINERY OR APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER OPERATIONS REQUIRED IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF LEATHER
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wade Appleyard and Walter Knapp Appleyard,
both of Hunslet Carr, near Leeds, in the County of York, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLESHING MACHINES, SUCH MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER OPERATIONS REQUIRED IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF LEATHER."
Sealed the 21st November 1876, and dated the 20th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wade Appleyard and
Walter Knapp Appleyard at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
20th June 1876.
THOMAS WADE APPLEYARD and WALTER KNAPP APPLEYARD, both of Hunslet
Carr, near Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLESHING MACHINES,
SUCH MACHINERY OR APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER OPERATIONS
REQUIRED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER.”
Our Invention is particularly applicable for fleshing hides, but may also be used
with slight modifications for unhairing, scudding, scouring, glassing, and printing
on leather, and is as hereafter described.
Between suitable standards or framework we mount a wheel or disc, to which a
rotary motion is imparted from any convenient motive power. On the periphery
of this wheel or disc is or are fitted one or more adjustable brackets, and when
employed for fleshing purposes on one or more of these brackets a knife or scraper
is provided. These knives or scrapers are arranged to give a little so as readily to
adapt themselves to the various thicknesses or irregularities of the hide.
We provide on the bracket and in suitable bearings one roller in the front and
another at the back of each knife or scraper. The front roller is for pressing out
the wrinkles or uneveness of the hide, and the back roller to steady the hide after
the knife has passed over it.
We make the beam, by preference circular and curved in its length to suit the
diameter of the cutter wheel or disc. This may be caused to revolve by power or
by hand. The hide being placed thereon is held in position by a suitable cramp,
and when in this position is brought up by the beam, which is made adjustable, .
until the knives or scrapers come in contact therewith. On the wheel being set in
motion the cutters passing over the surface of the hide cut or scrape off the flesh.
[Price Rd

page_text: By simultaneously causing the beam to revolve the whole of the hide comes in
contact with the cutters and the flesh is removed.
When used for unhairing, scudding, scouring, glassing, and printing, the knives
or scrapers are taken out and other suitable tools are employed instead. With this
exception the other parts of machine remain almost identically the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Wade Appleyard and Walter Knapp Appleyard in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 20th December 1876.
THOMAS WADE APPLEYARD and WALTER KNAPP APPLEYARD, both of Hunslet
Carr, near Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLESHING MACHINES,
SUCH MACHINERY OR APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER OPERATIONS
REQUIRED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER."
Our Invention is particularly applicable for fleshing hides, but may also be used
with slight modifications for unhairing, scudding, and scouring, and is as hereafter
described.
Between suitable standards or framework we mount a wheel or disc, to which a
rotary motion is imparted from any convenient motive power; on the periphery of
this wheel or disc is or are fitted. one or more adjustable brackets, and when
employed for fleshing purposes, on one or more of these brackets a knife or scraper
is provided. These knives or scrapers are arranged to give a little, so as readily to
adapt themselves to the various thicknesses or irregularities of the hide.
We provide on the bracket and in suitable bearings one roller in the front, and
another at the back of each knife or scraper; the front roller is for pressing out the
wrinkles or uneveness of the hide, and the back roller to steady the hide after the
knife has passed over it.
We make the beam, by preference, circular and curved in its length to suit the
diameter of the cutter wheel or disc. This may be caused to revolve by power or
by hand. The hide being placed thereon is held in position by a suitable cramp,
and when in this position is brought up by the beam, which is made adjustable,.
until the knives or scrapers come in contact therewith. On the wheel being set
in motion the cutters passing over the surface of the hide cut or scrape off the flesh.
By simultaneously causing the beam to revolve the whole of the hide comes in
contact with the cutters, and the flesh is removed.
When used for unbairing, scudding, and scouring, the knives or scrapers are
taken out, and other suitable tools are employed instead. With this exception the
other parts of the machine remain almost identically the same.
And in order that our Invention may be more completely understood reference is
given to the accompanying four Sheets of Drawings and to the letters and marks
thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Sheet 1 represents one arrangement for carrying our Invention into effect, in
which Figure 1 represents a side elevation; Figure 2, a plan looking at the top.
Between suitable framework or standards a we mount a wheel or disc b in
suitable bearings, to which a rotary motion is given through pulley 'c and gearing d
from some suitable motive power. On the periphery of this wheel or disc b is or
are fitted one or more adjustable brackets e, these brackets e, when preferred, may
be cast on, and when employed for fleshing purposes knives or scrapers fare
provided on these brackets e. These knives or scrapers fare more particularly
shewn on Sheet 2, and will be described hereafter; g is the beam which is curved
in front to suit the circle described by the cutters or scrapers f, and fitted so as to
slide freely on the bed plate h; to this beam g no radial motion is given, but in order

page_text: to give a traversing movement to the hide in front of the cutters f we provide a
shaft i, on the top of which is provided the boss j, over which the hide is thrown,
similar to that shown in dotted lines at k; an intermittent rotary motion is
imparted to this shaft i by means of a crank cam or its equivalents, provided on
the disc shaft l, and transmitted through rod m, bell-crank lever n, rod o, ratchet
lever p, pawl q, ratchet wheel r, and bevel wheels s.
In order to prevent the hide being drawn off the beam g we attach to the
framework a a swinging arm or bracket t, which is coupled thereto by means of the
rod u; at the outer end of this swing bracket t we provide the hand screw v by
which the pressure plate w may be raised or lowered by the attendant. After the
hide has been placed in position on the beam g the swing bracket t is brought into
the position shewn on Drawing, having the pressure plate w directly over the boss j;
when in this position it may be screwed tightly down, the hide being between it
and the boss ; in this position the hide is held firmly, thereby preventing it being
drawn off by the cutters f; at the same time the intermittent motion of the shaft i
carries round the hide in front of the cutters f, so that the whole of the hide can be
operated upon thereby, the pressure plate w turning round with the hide.
Underneath the beam g, or in any convenient position thereon we provide &
rack x, through which the beam g may be moved towards the cutters for from
them; by this means the attendant may regulate the distance to suit the unevenness
of the hide, this adjustment is imparted by the attendant through hand lever y and
rack pinion z. The beam g may be adjusted in an oblique direction by means of
the cams 1 mounted on the shaft 2. By turning the cams 1 which rest on the plate
3 the back of the beam g may be raised or lowered, thereby adjusting it in an
oblique direction. The movement of the cams 1 is effected by the attendant through
the upright shaft 4, worm 5, and worm 6.
We provide for the purpose of cleaning the cutters f whilst in operation either
an adjustable brush 7, or any other equivalent means.
Sheet 3 represents a modification of machinery constructed according to our
Invention, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation and part section; Figure 2, a
plan, looking at the top; and Figure 3, an end elevation. In this arrangement we
make the beam a by preference round and curved in its length to suit the circle
described by the cutters, and may be caused to revolve either by power or by hand,
being carried in suitable bearings b on the saddle d, the rotary motion being trans-
mitted thereto through circular rack e, rack pinion f, from some suitable motive
power. We also employ a swinging arm or bracket g, which is of a similar con-
struction to that shown and described with reference to Sheet 1. The adjustment
of the beam a to and from the cutters is effected by the attendant through hand
wheel h, shaft i, bevel wheels j, shaft k, bevel wheels 1, shaft m, bevel wheels n,
adjusting screw and nut p, which is attached to the saddle d. Other parts of the
machine are of a similar construction to that shown and described with reference to
Sheet 1.
Sheet 4 represents a part side elevation and section of another modification, and
is a combination of the stationary and rotary beams shewn and described with
reference to Sheets 1 and 3. a represents the stationary beam, and 6 the rotary
beam. By this arrangement of rotary beam 6 and stationary beam a the hide by
its adhesion to the rotary beam is carried round more regularly that when the
upright revolving shaft c and boss d are alone used with the stationary beam. At
the same time the addition of the stationary beam causes a greater width of hide
to be operated upon at one time than when the rotary beam is alone employed.
Other parts of the machine not shewn or described may be of a similar construction
as those shown on Sheet 1.
Sheet 2 shews two arrangements of cutting or scraping apparatus arranged in
accordance with our Invention. Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 shew respectively elevations
and plans of these arrangements. In Figures 1 and 2 e is the bracket provided on
the periphery of the wheel or disc on Sheet 1. On this is mounted and fixed an
armf; to this is attached by means of an adjustable support g the cutter carriage h,

page_text: which is coupled thereto by means of the pin i. The cutter jis fixed upon the
cutter carriage h by means of the bolts k. In order to regulate or set the cutters
so that they all have equal projections we provide the adjusting screw, whereby
the carriage containing the cutter may be moved outwards or inwards when
required. After the cutter has been set by means of the adjusting screw the side
bolts m are used for retaining it in position. Between the set screw and the
carriage h we provide a packing of india-rubber, as shown at n, or when preferred
a spiral spring or its equivalent may be employed. This arrangement allows the
cutters to adapt themselves to the various thicknesses or irregularities of the hide.
On the arm fis provided a roller o, and on the adjustable support g is provided the
roller p. The front roller P is for pressing out the wrinkles or uneveness of the
hide, and the back roller o is to steady the hide after the cutter has passed over it.
Figures 3 and 4 shew another arrangement of cutting or scraping apparatus
made according to our Invention. The rollers o and p are mounted in bearings q
on the curved spring r, to which the adjustable eyes 8 are provided as stays. The
springs is secured on the periphery of the wheel, as shewn, by means of the
adjustable support t, on which is hinged at u the cutter carriage v carrying the
cutter w. Between the adjustable support t and the cutter carriage v is provided
an india-rubber packing or spiral spring to allow for the irregularities of the hide.
The projection of the cutter is regulated by the bolt y.
For the cutters or scrapers herein described other known tools or apparatus for
unhairing, scudding, and scouring may be used.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and shown by Drawings
how the same may be carried into practice, we would have it understood that we
do not limit ourselves to the exact limits, details, or configuration of the various
parts we have explained and shown, as the same may of course be varied or modified
without in any way departing from our Invention, but what we do claim and desire
to be secured to us by Letters Patent is,-
First. The arrangement, construction, and application of disc or wheel having on
its periphery one or more cutters or scrapers and apparatus connected therewith for
fleshing hides, substantially as herein set forth.
Second. The arrangement and application of the fixed and rotary beams, either
separately or in combination, and parts connected therewith for adjusting and
actuating the same, substantially as herein set forth.
Third. The combination of the various parts forming the machine, together with
any mere modifications thereof, for fleshing hides, and for unhairing, scudding, and
scouring, substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Wade Appleyard and Walter Knapp
Appleyard, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighteenth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
T. W. APPLEYARD. (L.S.)
W. K. APPLEYARD.. (L.S.) .