New or Improved Manufacture of Material suitable for use as a Substitute for Whalebone.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Manufacture of Material suitable for use as a
Substitute for Whalebone.
I, LOUIS MUNK, of 130 Grindelallee, Hamburg, Germany, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In consequence of the increasing scarcity of whales, and of the increasing
demand for whalebone, attempts have been made to provide a substitute for natural
whalebone, which is expensive. A number of raw products have been employed,
such as horn, and cane, to which the properties of natural whalebone have to a
partial extent been imparted, but these artificial products are very inferior to
natural whalebone, and readily break when in use.
Now this invention has reference to the manufacture of an artificial whalebone
which shall be as strong, elastic and light as natural whalebone, and which may be
utilised instead of the latter for a very great variety of purposes.
Artificial whalebone according to this invention is made from animal skins,
hides or leather, dried at a suitable temperature and subjected to great pressure.
The product is then cut into strips of suitable width and length and is dyed in
order to impart to it the appearance of natural whalebone. It may also be coated
with a waterproof substance.
Dated this 20th day of June 1892.
LOUIS MUNK,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Manufacture of Material suitable for use as a
Substitute for Whalebone.
I, LOUIS MUNK, of 130 Grindelallee, Hamburg, Germany, Merchant, 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:-
In consequence of the great cost of whalebone, which for some years has been
becoming more expensive, numerous attempts have been made to find a suitable
substitute therefor. For this purpose hard rubber, horn, steel, bamboo, etc. have
been tried but all these materials readily break when in use, for example when used
as bones for corsets or stays.
Now this invention has reference to the manufacture of an unbreakable horn-
like material from raw, partially or wholly tanned animal hide or skin, which may
be utilized instead of whalebone for a great variety of purposes, as for example in
the manufacture of corset and waist bones, whip handles etc.
Whereas in the manufacture of leather animal hide or skin is made more or less
supple, and those qualities are imparted to the leather which render it suitable for
use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, saddlery etc., in the manufacture of
material suitable for use as a substitute for whalebone according to this invention
the hide or skin is converted into an extremely bard horn-like mass.
The new material which I designate artificial whalebone can be manufactured
most simply from raw animal hide or skin as follows:-The hide is first softened
by soaking after which it is limed, treated with sodium sulphide and deprived of
hair, as in the ordinary course of treatment preparatory to tanning. In the
manufacture of leather the hide is "pickled" with the object of completely
removing the lime and sodium sulphide, which partly penetrate the hide during the

page_text: above mentioned operation but for the manufacture of artificial whalebone this
pickling operation is omitted, the result being that the hide, when dried, becomes
harder and more elastic than would otherwise be the case. The hide thus treated
is then placed for a suitable time say for 24 to 36 hours, in a weak solution of
bichromate of potash. The hide is then dried during which treatment it is
stretched or nailed upon frames, flat tables, or similar devices, so as to prevent it
from shrinking when drying, and so as to ensure that it shall dry as flat as
possible.
The hide is first slowly dried to a partial extent whilst exposed to the action of
light and is then subjected to a temperature of about 50 to 60° Celsius. The
combined action of daylight and the bichromate of potash contained in the hide,
renders the glue contained in the cells of the hide insoluble in water and prevents
putrefaction setting in, whilst the subjection to a higher temperature removes the
moisture from the innermost portions of the hide. The dried hide is then pressed
under very great pressure. The material thus produced which has approximately
the hardness and elasticity of genuine whalebone, may be colored or dyed as
desired, either before or after drying, in order to impart to the product the color of
genuine whalebone. The said material is also rendered still more damp-proof by
coating or impregnating it with caoutchouc, varnish lac, or other similar substances.
When using caoutchouc it may be applied either as a coating, or be drawn over
each rod or strip of the material in the form of an envelope or sheath; or each rod
may be protected from damp or moisture by wrapping it in waterproof paper or
other waterproof substances.
The artificial whalebone can also be made from hide that has been more or less
tanned, such hide being treated in the same manner as the untanned hide. I prefer
however to use untanned hide as the process of manufacture is thereby simpler and
cheaper the tanning process being omitted.
The artificial whalebone produced as described may be cut into plates or strips
of any desired length and width, which may be employed as corset and waist
"bones" whip handles, etc.; it may also have imparted to it an approximately
round or cylindrical shape by means of hot presses.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The manufacture of material suitable for use as a substitute for whalebone from
animal skins, hides or leather substantially as described.
تيمم
L. MUNK,
By L. W., per F. B.