IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINES FOR APPLYING BLACKING, PASTE, BLOOD STAINS, OR OTHER MIXTURE OR DRESSING TO THE SURFACE OF LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINES FOR APPLYING BLACKING, PASTE, BLOOD STAINS, OR
OTHER MIXTURE OR DRESSING TO THE SURFACE OF LEATHER AND OTHER
MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Fred Blaney Batchelder,
of East Boston, in the County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th May 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR APPLYING BLACKING,
PASTE, BLOOD STAINS, OR OTHER MIXTURE OR DRESSING TO THE SURFACE OF
LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS." [A communication from abroad by Fred
Blaney Batchelder, of East Boston, in the County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to furnish machines for applying blacking, paste,
blood stains, or other mixture or dressing to surfaces of leather and other materials
in such a manner that the opposite surfaces may be kept practically clean.
The machine consists of a large endless table or cylinder pivoted in a frame and
driven by suitable gearing, the leather or other material passing over said cylinder,
between it and the devices for spreading the finishing material or dressing. To
the rear parts of the top of the frame of the machine are attached studs, to the
upper ends of which are attached the rear ends of two flat springs having holes
through their forward ends to receive bolts, which are provided with hand nuts
for regulating the position and tension of the springs, and consequently the pressure
against the cylinder of the roller and brush hereinafter described. The lower ends
of these bolts are attached by spiral or other springs to the frame.
The tension of the springs may be further regulated by stop screws screwed into
the top bars of the frame beneath the middle part of said springs. The leather is

page_text: fed through the machine and the material spread thereon by means of a roller and
brush mounted in bearings attached to the springs. The roller and the brush aro
arranged parallel with each other and at a little distance apart. The roller is
covered with rubber or other suitable material, and is revolved by friction from the
cylinder, and the brush is covered with felt, sponge, bristles, or other suitable
material, and receives the blacking or other mixture from a roller placed above the
roller which feeds the leather (or above the space between the feed roller and the
brush), and its journals revolve in bearings attached to the ends of the sides of a
hopper supported on the frame and containing the finishing material, and made
with an open forward end. The roller is made of metal or other suitable material,
and fits snugly upon the forward part of the bottom of the hopper, and between
the sides of the said hopper, so as to close the open end of the hopper and prevent
the mixture from escaping. As this roller revolves it takes a coating of the mixture
from the hopper and applies it to the brush, by which the said mixture is spread
upon the leather. The brush and roller are driven from the feed roller by pulleys
and belts or by friction gear wheels or toothed gear wheels, as may be desired.
By attaching the bearings for the feed roller and the brush to the springs, the said
roller and brush will be held down upon the leather, passing through the machine
in such a manner as to exert a yielding pressure, and thus accomodate themselves
to the varying thickness of the leather. This construction also allows the feed
roller and brush to be both adjusted by one operation. The forward part of the
bottom of the hopper, or a plate attached to the said hopper, extends down around
the inner side of the brush, and is curved to correspond with the curvature of the
said brush to serve as a guard to prevent the mixture from being spattered by the
brush, and to guide any mixture that may drop from the roller on the hopper
down into such a position that it will be taken by the brush from the lower part
of the said guard plate and applied to the leather. In one of the journals of the
brush, or in a wheel or collar attached to the said journal, is formed a cam groove
to receive a pin attached to or supported from the frame, so that the said brush
while being revolved will have a reciprocating longitudinal movement upon the
face of the leather, and will thus spread the mixture more evenly. At a little
distance from the brush and parallel with it is placed an endless belt having a line
of bristles or other suitable material attached to it along its central line, forining
an endless brush. This brush passes around pulleys pivoted to supports attached
to the frame. One of the pulleys is connected with the spreading brush by gear
wheels or belts and pulleys, as may be desired. With this construction, as the
spreading brush revolves, the endless brush will move across the machine, which
movement, in connection with the forward movement of the leather as the cylinder
revolves, will cause the latter brush to sweep the surface of the leather diagonally,
so as to remove any uneveness in the applied mixture and brush off any coarse
particles that may be upon the leather. A curved cap plate is placed over the
upper and forward part of the spreading brush to receive any particles of mixture
thrown off by the said brush. It is hinged at its upper edge to supports attached
to the hopper or to the frame, and its lower edge is curved inward to form a spout
or channel to receive any mixture that may be thrown upon and may trickle
down the said plate and conduct it into a receiver.
As the sides or pieces of leather are irregular in form parts of the cylinder will
receive a coating of the mixture, which unless removed would soil or stain the
under side of the next piece of leather passed through the machine. Any mixture
adhering to the cylinder is removed by a knife or scraper, the ends of which are
pivoted to arms attached to the frame. This knife is pressed against the side of
the cylinder by springs pivoted to the frame, so that they can be turned outward
to release the knife, and allow it to be turned upon its pivots for convenience in
cleaning it. Along the rear edge of the kuife is formed or to it is attached a
trough or channel to receive the mixture scraped from the cylinder. In the
bottom of this trough near one end is formed an aperture, through which the

page_text: collected mixture escapes into a second trough placed beneath, and from which
the mixture runs into a pail or other receiver. To the inner side of the lower
trough is attached a plate of leather, rubber, or other suitable material to wipe off
any mixture that may be left upon the cylinder by the knife, and thus leave the
surface of the said cylinder practically clean. The trough is attached to the upper
ends of two springs, by which it is pressed against the cylinder, the lower ends of
the springs being attached to the frame. With this construction a different set
of roller, brush, and hopper may be used for each different mixture to be applied
to the leather, and by applying two or more sets to a single cylinder two or more
mixtures may be applied successively to the leather while passing once through
the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th November 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR APPLYING BLACKING,
PASTE, BLOOD STAINS, OR OTHER MIXTURE OR DRESSING TO THE SURFACE OF
LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Fred
Blaney Batchelder, of East Boston, in the County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to furnish machines for applying blacking, paste,
blood stains, or other mixture or dressing to surfaces of leather and other materials
in such a manner that the opposite surfaces may be kept practically clean. The
Invention consists in the combination with the cylinder of devices for cleaning it;
also in the combination with the roller and brush of devices for regulating the
pressure of the roller and brush against the leather upon the cylinder; also in the
combination with the brush of devices for supplying the brush with mixture and
preventing dripping and splattering; also in the combination with the brush of a
cam and pin to give the said brush a reciprocating longitudinal movement, and also
in the combination with the cylinder of an endless belt brush for smoothing off the
mixture and removing impurities, as will be hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is an end clevation of the improved
machine; Figure 2 is a front elevation, parts being broken away; Figure 3 is a
sectional end elevation taken through the line x-x, Figure 4; Figure 4 is a plan
view partly in section. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the framework of the machine, to which is pivoted a large endless
table or cylinder B. To one end of the cylinder B is attached a large internally
toothed gear wheel C, into the teeth of which mesh the teeth of a small gear
wheel D. The gear wheel D is pivoted to the frame A, and to its outer journal is
attached a cone pulley E to receive the driving belt, so that the cylinder B may be
revolved faster or slower as required. To the rear parts of the top of the frame A
are attached studs F, to the upper ends of which are attached the rear ends of two
springs G. The springs G have holes through their forward ends to receive the
bolts H, which have hand nuts I screwed upon their upper ends. The lower ends
of the bolts H are attached to the upper ends of spiral or other suitable springs J,
the lower ends of which springs are attached to the frame A. With this con-
struction the position and tension of the springs G, and consequently the pressure
against the cylinder of the roller and brush hereinafter described, may be regulated
by turning the hand nuts I up and down. The tension of the springs G may be
further regulated by stop screws K screwed into the top bars of the frame A
beneath the middle part of said springs G, so that they may be turned up and
down to limit the movement of the springs G. In bearings attached to the springs G
revolve the journals of the roller L and the brush M. The roller L and the brush M
are arranged parallel with each other, and at a little distance apart. The roller L
is covered with rubber or other suitable material, is revolved by friction from tho
cylinder B, and is designed to feed the leather through the machine. The brush M
is covered with felt, sponge, bristles, or other suitable material, and is designed to
receive the blacking or other mixture from the roller N, and apply it to and spread
it upon the leather. The roller N is placed above the feed roller L, or above tho
space between the feed roller L and the brush M, and its journals revolve in
bearings attached to the ends of the sides of the hopper O, or to the frame A. The
hopper is supported from the frame A, and is made with an open forward end.
The roller N is made of metal or other suitable material, and fits snugly upon the

page_text: forward part of the bottom of the hopper O, and between the sides of the said
hopper soas to close the open end of the hopper and prevent the mixture from
escaping. As the roller N revolves it takes a coating of the mixture from the
hopper O, and applies it to the brush M by which the said mixture is spread upon
the leather. The brush M and roller N are driven from the feed roller L by
pulleys P and belts Q, or by friction gear wheels or toothed gear wheels, as may be
desired. By attaching the bearings for the feed roller L and the brush M to the
springs G, the said roller and brush will be held down upon the leather passing
through the machine in such a manner as to exert a yielding pressure, and thus
accommodate themselves to the varying thickness of the leather. This construction
also allows the roller L and brush M to be both adjusted by one operation. The
forward part R of the bottom of the hopper O, or a plate R attached to the said
hopper O, extends down around the inner side of the brush M, and is curved to
correspond with the curvature of the said brush to serve as a guard to prevent the
mixture from being spattered by the said brush, and to guide any mixture that
may drop from the roller N down into such a position that it will be taken by the
brush M from the lower part of the said guard plate and applied to the leather.
In one of the journals of the brush M, or in a wheel or collar attached to the said
journal, is formed a cam groove S to receive a pin T attached to or supported from
the frame A, so that the said brush M while being revolved will have a reciprocating
longitudinal movement upon the face of the leather, and will thus spread the mixture
more evenly over the said leather. At a little distance from the brush M, and
parallel with it, is placed an endless belt U, which has a line of bristles or other
suitable material attached to it along its central line, forming an endless brush.
The endless brush U passes around the pulleys V pivoted to supports attached to
the frame A. One of the pulleys V is connected with the brush M by gear wheels
or belts and pulleys, as may be desired. With this construction, as the brush M
revolves, the brush U will move across the machine, which movement in connection
with the forward movement of the leather as the cylinder B revolves, will cause
the said brush to sweep the surface of the leather diagonally, so as to remove any
unevenness in the applied mixture, and brush off any coarse particles that may
be upon the leather." W is a curved cap plate which is placed over the upper
and forward part of the brush M, to receive any particles of mixture thrown off
by the said brush M. The plate W is hinged at its upper edge to supports
attached to the hopper O or to the frame A. The lower edge of the plate W is
curved inward to form a spout or channel X to receive any mixture that may be
thrown upon, and may trickle down the said plate W, and conduct it into a receiver.
The sides or pieces of leather being irregular in form, parts of the cylinder B will
receive a coating of mixture, which unless removed would soil or stain the
underside of the next piece of leather passed through the machine. To obviate this,
any mixture adhering to the cylinder B is removed by a knife or scraper Z, the
ends of which are pivoted to arms A¹ attached to the frame A. The knife Z is
pressed against the side of the cylinder B by two springs B¹ which are pivoted to
the frame A so that they can be turned outward to release the knife Z, and allow
it to be turned upon its pivots for convenience in cleaning it. Along the rear edge
of the knife Z is formed or to it is attached a trough or channel C' to receive the
mixture scraped from the cylinder B. In the bottom of the trough C¹ near one end
is formed an aperture through which the collected mixture escapes into a trough D'
placed beneath the said trough C. The mixture from the lower trough D' runs
into a pail or other receiver. To the inner side of the trough D' is attached a plate
E of leather, rubber, or other suitable material to wipe off any mixture that may
be left upon the cylinder B by the knife Z, and thus leave the surface of the said
cylinder B practically clean. The trough D¹ is attached to the upper ends of two
springs F', by which it is pressed against the cylinder B. The lower ends of the
springs F are attached to the frame A. With this construction a different set of
roller, brush, and hopper may be used for each different mixture to be applied to
the leather, and by applying two or more sets to a single cylinder, two or more

page_text: mixtures may be applied successively to the leather while passing once through
the machine.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. In a leather finishing machine, the combination with the cylinder B of a
spring pressed knife or scraper Z provided with a receiving chamber C¹³, substantially
as herein shown and described, so that any mixture or other substance that adheres
to the surface of the cylinder will be removed, and the under side of the leather
thus kept clean, as set forth.
2nd. In a leather finishing machine, the combination with the cylinder B and the
knife Z of a spring pressed trough D¹ provided with a wiping plate E¹ of leather,
rubber, or other suitable material, substantially as herein shown and described, so
that the roller L and brush M will have a yielding pressure against the leather
on the cylinder B, as set forth.
3rd. In a leather finishing machine, the combination with the cylinder B,
roller L, brush M, and springs G, of the screws H, hand nuts I, and springs J,
substantially as herein shown and described, so that the pressure of the springs G
may be regulated as desired.
4th. In a leather finishing machine, the combination with the brush M that
applies the mixture to the leather of the hopper O, having open forward end and
the roller N, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the mixture is
taken from the hopper O and applied to the brush M, as set forth.
5th. In a leather finishing machine, the combination with the hopper O, the
roller N, and the brush M of the guard plate R, substantially as herein shown and
described, whereby any drippings from the hopper O or roller N are conducted to
the brush M, as set forth.
6th. In a leather finishing machine, the combination with the brush M of the
curved guard plate W having channel or trough X, substantially as herein shown
and described, whereby the spatterings of the mixture from the brush M are received
and guided to a receiver, as set forth.,
7th. In a leather finishing machine, the combination with the brush M of the
wheel or collar S having cam groove, and the pin T, substantially as herein shown
and described, to give the rotating brush M a reciprocating longitudinal movement,
as set forth.
8th. In a leather finishing machine, the combination with the cylinder B of the
endless belt brush U, substantially as herein shown and described, to smooth off
the applied mixture and remove impurities, as set forth.
9th. A leather finishing machine, formed by the combination of the cylinder B,
the roller L, the brush M, the roller N, the hopper O, the endless belt brush U,
and the cleaning devices Z, C¹, and E¹, D¹, substantially as herein shown and
described, so that a blacking or other mixture can be applied to surfaces of leather,
while the opposite surfaces are kept practically clean, asset forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.