Improvements in Purifying and Graining or Bating Hides and other Skins and in Apparatus Employed therein.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 25th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 19th Aug., 1887.
Improvements in Purifying and Graining or Bating Hides and other
Skins and in Apparatus Employed therein.
I THOMAS PALMER, of Grange Road Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey, Tanner
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
My invention has reference to that part of the process of preparing hides and other
skins for tanning which is known as "graining" or "bating" and has for object to
render the hides or skins supple and pliant by removing the lime which has been used
for the purpose of loosening the hair and epidermis or scarf skin. According to the
processes hitherto adopted for removing the lime the hides or skins have been
submitted to what is called the "grainer" which is a liquor or lixivium formed of
pigeon's or other fowl's or bird's dung and water. This liquor is contained in a pit in
which a drum or paddle for holding or moving the hides is caused to rotate on a
horizontal axis and each pit or rather the mass or volume of liquor therein after
serving as a new grainer" and as a "mended grainer" becomes what is styled an
"old grainer." In practice about 18 bushels of dry dung have been placed in a tub
or vessel, then mixed with sufficient water to make it of the consistence of thick paste
and left for 2 or 3 days. About 2 bushels of dung paste have been put into the
grainer pit with enough water to form the lixivium or grainer liquor this being
sufficient to grain a "pack" of 40 or 50 hides. The hides have been placed in the
drum and submitted to the action of the liquor for 4 to 5 hours, being meanwhile
"handled" once at the end of about 3 hours, that is to say-taken out, allowed to drain,
and then returned. The liquor has then been "mended" by the addition of one
bushel of the dung paste and used to similarly treat another pack of 40 or 50 hides.
It has sometimes been then again mended by the addition of another bushel of dung
and used to treat a third pack of hides. The liquor has now become rough and is
what is styled an "old grainer" since it has ceased to break the gristle of the hides,
and it has been used in this state to prepare the hides for the new or the mended
grainers; the old grainer will generally prepare 2 packs before it becomes spent or
worn out. The hides after their treatment in the new or mended grainers have been
well rinsed with water and worked in, in the usual way.

page_text: Now I so carry out the process of removing the lime and graining or bating that I
can grain a much larger number of hides or skins in a new grainer and also a much
larger number in a mended grainer in proportion to the amount of dung employed.
Before submitting the hides or skins to the action of the grainers I thoroughly
wash or rinse them with water at a temperature of about 70° Fahrenheit. The hides
are placed in a drum capable of containing, say, 150 hides and immersed in a pit or
tank into and out of which the rinsing water is made to flow continuously; the drum
is caused to rotate for about an hour, which I generally find sufficient for the rinsing
process. This rinsing has the effect of removing a large proportion of the lime so
that the subsequent action of the grainers is not so much to get rid of the lime (as in
the old process) as to break down or reduce the hide material and thereby render it
supple and pliant.
After the rinsing process the hides are removed to stocks or fullers where they are
well broken down for about 20 or 30 minutes, after which they are rinsed again for a
short time in the fullers.
The hides are next submitted for about 45 minutes to the action of an old grainer
but care must be taken not to use a grainer which is so old as to have become limy or
it will roughen. Next the hides, after having been allowed to drain, are submitted to
the action of a new grainer or a mended grainer.
In preparing a new grainer, instead of making the dung solution or lixivium in the
grainer pit itself as in the old process, I mix a quantity, say 3 bushels, of dung paste
with such an amount of water, say 130 gallons, as will make a strong solution; I
effect this mixture in a suitable tub or vessel well stirring it, so as to break up any
lumps, and I prefer the water to be lukewarm. I then allow the solution to rest, with
occasional stirring, till all gas has been evolved. In this vessel or tub it might be
advantageous to have a paddle inserted or the extraction might be carried out to
advantage by means of a hydro extractor. The solution is then preferably strained
through a gauze sieve, or other suitable filter, or the tub may be fitted with a false
bottom so as to effect the necessary straining the liquor being run out by means of a
tap such parts as are left behind should be washed with water to extract any
remaining goodness. The strong solution I then put into the grainer pit, in which is
already sufficient water, say from 900 to 1000 gallons, to reduce the solution to the
proper strength. I work the empty drum or paddle in the liquor in the grainer pit,
for a short time so as to get a thorough admixture. The hides can then be submitted
to the action of the grainer in the usual way but I effect a further improvement and
economy by covering in the grainer pit instead of leaving it open, as has been the
custom. For this purpose I provide it with a roof having flaps, or doors that car be
opened to allow of the hides being introduced and removed, as required. The roof or
cover, by preventing the egress of gas, assists in maintaining the strength of the
grainer liquor.
"
I find that with my invention I can, with a new grainer formed from 3 bushels of
dung, efficiently treat 3 successive packs of about 50 hides each without "mending
and that by mending once with one bushel which has been made into a strong
solution as above explained I can efficiently treat 5 more successive packs, of about
50 hides, before the grainer becomes a so-called "old grainer." Two or three hours
in the new, or the mended, grainer is generally sufficient to render the hides fit for
working in," and "handling" once during this period effectually hastens the process.
On leaving the grainer the hides are removed to the beam house to be worked in in the
usual way.
66
Doted th: OL 1
1000
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.

page_text: Skins and in Apparatus Employed therein.
I THOMAS PALMER, of Grange Road, Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey,
Tanner, 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:
My invention has reference to that part of the process of preparing hides and other
skins for tanning which is known as graining or bating" and has for object to
render the hides or skins supple and pliant by removing the lime which has been used
for the purpose of loosening the hair and epidermis or scarf skin. According to the
processes hitherto adopted for removing the lime the hides or skins have been
submitted to what is called the "
grainer "which is a liquor or lixivium formed of
pigeon's or other fowl's or bird's dung and water. This liquor is contained in a pit in
which a drum or paddle for holding or moving the hides is caused to rotate on a
horizontal axis and each pit, or rather the mass or volume of liquor therein, after
serving as a new grainer" and as a "mended grainer" becomes what is styled an
"old grainer." In practice about 18 bushels of dry dung have been placed in a tub
or vessel, then mixed with sufficient water to make it of the consistence of thick paste
and left for two or three days. About two bushels of this dung paste have been put
into the grainer pit with enough water to form the lixivium or grainer liquor this
being sufficient to grain a "pack" of 40 or 50 hides. The hides have been placed in
the drum and submitted to the action of the liquor for four to five hours, being
meanwhile "handled" once at the end of about three hours, that is to say-taken out,
allowed to drain, and then returned. The liquor has then been "mended" by the
addition of one bushel of the dung paste and used to similarly treat another pack
of 40 or 50 hides. It has sometimes been then again mended by the addition of
another bushel of dung and used to treat a third pack of hides. The liquor has now
become rough and is what is styled an "old grainer;" it has ceased to break the
gristle of the hides and it has been used in this state to prepare the hides for the new
or the mended grainers; the old grainer will generally prepare two packs before it
becomes spent or worn out. The hides after their treatment in the new or mended
grainers have been well rinsed with water and worked in, in the usual way.
Now I so carry out the process of removing the lime and graining or bating that I
can grain a much larger number of hides or skins in a new grainer and also a much
larger number in a mended grainer in proportion to the amount of dung employed.
Before submitting the hides or skins to the action of the grainers I thoroughly
wash or rinse them with water (preferably soft) at a temperature of about
70° Fahrenheit. The hies are placed in a drum capable of containing, say,

page_text: 150 hides and immersed in a pit or tank into and out of which the rinsing water is
made to flow continuously; the drum is caused to rotate for about an hour, which
I generally find sufficient for the rinsing process. This rinsing has the effect of
removing a large proportion of the lime so that the subsequent action of the grainers
is not so much to get rid of the lime (as in the old process) as to break down or
reduce the hide material and thereby render it supple and pliant.
After the rinsing process the hides are removed to stocks or fullers where they are
well broken down for about 20 or 30 minutes, after which they are rinsed again for a
short time in the fullers.
The hides are next submitted for about 45 minutes to the action of an old grainer
but care must be taken not to use a grainer which is so old as to have become limy,
or it will roughen. Next, the hides, after having been allowed to drain, are
submitted to the action of a new grainer or a mended grainer.
In preparing a new grainer, instead of making the dung solution or lixivium in the
grainer pit itself as in the old process, I mix a quantity, say three bushels, of dung
paste with such an amount of water, say 130 gallons, as will make a strong solution;
I effect this mixture in a suitable tub or vessel well stirring it, so as to break up any
lumps, and I prefer the water to be lukewarm. I then allow the solution to rest,
with occasional stirring, till all gas has been evolved. In this vessel or tub it might
be advantageous to have a paddle inserted or the extraction might be carried out to
advantage by means of a hydro-extractor. The solution is then preferably strained
through a gauze sieve, or other suitable filter; or the tub may be fitted with a false
bottom so as to effect the necessary straining, the liquor being run out by means of
a tap; such parts as are left behind should be washed with water to extract any
remaining goodness. The strong solution I then put into the grainer pit, in which is
already sufficient water, say from 900 to 1000 gallons, to reduce the solution to the
proper strength. I work the empty drum or paddle in the liquor in the grainer pit
for a short time so as to get a thorough admixture. The hides can then be submitted
to the action of the grainer in the usual way but I effect a further improvement and
economy by covering in the grainer pit instead of leaving it open, as has been the
custom. For this purpose I provide it with a roof having one or more flaps, or doors,
that can be opened to allow of the hides being introduced and removed, as required.
The roof, or cover, by preventing the egress of gas, assists in maintaining the strength
of the grainer liquor.
แ
I find that with my invention I can, with a new grainer formed from three bushels
of dung, efficiently treat three or four successive packs of about 50 hides each without
mending" and that by mending once with from three-fourths of a bushel to one
bushel which has been made into a strong solution as above explained I can efficiently
treat six or seven more successive packs, of about 50 hides, before the grainer becomes
a so-called "old grainer." Two or three hours in the new, or the mended, grainer is
generally sufficient to render the hides fit for "working in," and "handling
during this period effectually hastens the process. On leaving the grainer the hides
are removed to the beam house to be "worked in" in the usual way.
once
The annexed drawings represent a grainer pit and drum the pit being provided
with a roof as herein before described. Figure 1 is an end elevation and Figure 2 a
plan the pit being in section in both figures. A is the grainer pit which is preferably
made of wood lined with lead and sunk about two feet more or less in the ground.
B is the drum for containing the hides to be treated; its shaft passes through stuffing
boxes C, C in the ends of the pit and is provided with means whereby it can be
rotated by a chain, band, rope or other suitable gear. D is a flap or door to the drum
through which the hides are inserted or withdrawn as required. E is a roof covering
in the pit and serving to prevent the egress of gas and therefore to assist in
maintaining the strength of the grainer liquor. F is a flap or door in the roof E;
this flap or door should correspond in position and size with the door D in the drum,
and if the drum has two doors at different parts of its length the roof may also have
two doors to correspond. The pit may have a steam coil at bottom or be provided
with other suitable means of warming the grainer liquor.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :
-
1. The process herein before described of purifying and graining or bating hides or
other skins after the lime treatment, that is to say, first thoroughly washing or rinsing
them and then submitting them to the action of a
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
"
"
"6
grainer or grainers
"
2. The method hereinbefore described of preparing a new grainer" for purifying
and graining or bating hides or other skins, that is to say, making a strong solution
or lixivium of the dung in a suitable. vessel, well agitating the same and allowing the
gas to evolve, and then putting this strong solution into a grainer pit containing
sufficient water to reduce it to the proper strength substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a grainer pit and with the drum or apparatus for holding
the hides or skins therein of a roof or cover. having one or more flaps or doors as and
for the purpose described.
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.