IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPLITTING AND CUTTING SKINS AND HIDES
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RENE
JOSEPH le Comté DU COLOMBIER, of Chancery Lane, in the City of London,.
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her. present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her,
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Second day of. December, in the eighth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
René Joseph. le Comté du Colombier, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said René Joseph le Comté du Colombier,
my exors, admors, and .assigns, or such others as I, the said René Joseph
le Comte du Colombier, my exors, admors, 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 use, exercise,.
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPLITTING AND
CUTTING SKINS AND HIDES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained; &
proviso that I, the said René Joseph le Comte du Colombier, shall cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
René Joseph le Comté du Colombier, do hereby declare that the nature of
my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be per-
formed, are fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
:-
It is well known that skins, after having been tanned, are submitted to the
operation of cutting and scraping in order to bring their surfaces and thick-
nesses into as even and uniform a state as possible. This is generally done by
workmen with cutting instruments, and it is often found necessary to cut away
a great portion of the skin in bringing it into this state; and machinery has
been used for splitting skins. Now the object of this Invention is a peculiar
arrangement of machinery for splitting skins, and afterwards dressing the
rough surface of one of the parts of the skin which has not been in contact
with the cutting instrument, and also in removing the marks made by the
cutting instrument on the surfaces of the skin which have been in contact with
it, by which peculiar arrangement of machinery the skins will be cut in a more
uniform and regular manner than when done by hand.
In order that the nature of the Invention may be more readily understood I
have divided the description into two parts.
The two machines, although shown separately, may be worked together side
by side by the same power, and at the end of this description I have shewn
how they may be worked in the same machine.
I will first describe the machine for splitting skins, which consists of three
distinct parts,―
First, of a moveable frame, upon which the skins are stretched in a horizontal
position.
Second, of a support fixed at the lower part, the height of which may be
regulated.
Third, of a circular cutter, turning horizontally from above, and at a regu-
lated distance from the part of the skin supported on the frame, as will be
afterwards more particularly described.
The carriage or frame is composed of two metal framings, the one in front
B, B, and the other at the back B', B', and two cross pieces of wood C, C',
which are seen in Figure 6. These frames are made of two pieces joined by
balts D, D', shewn at Figure 3. The two pieces C, C', may be brought nearer
together or kept further apart. The cross pieces C, C¹, are kept in an inclined
position, upon which, affixed to this framing, are the metal pieces E, E', E", E",
the axles F, F, F, F, and the wheels G, G¹, G", G, which run upon
the rails H, H¹, H", H". In these metal pieces E, E¹, E", "E", are
t

page_text: slots e, e', e, e, through which bolts 6, 61, 61, 61, pass, by which arrange-
ment the carriage may be easily raised or lowered. Movement is communi-
cated to the carriage or frame by means of a screw G, which is kept in its
position by two bearings, the one fixed to the support L upon which the skin
presses (seen at Figure 6), and the other, fixed to another bearing. This screw
is to be turned by any suitable power, and in turning in the female screw H,
which is fixed to the carriage, will move it with it. This screw H is shewn
at Figure 3. This screw H is divided in two parts, and the workman who is
working the machine may, by raising the lever I, separate the two parts in
such manner that the turning of the screw G would not act upon the
carriage or frame; this mode of separating the parts of the screw would be
used when this carriage was required to be stopped, or when it had arrived
at the end of the rails. To bring it back, the parts H, H, being separated,
the frame or carriage can be run back by hand. The two cross pieces c, c', are
hollowed out at the parts A, A', extending the length of the carriage or frame;
alongside of these pieces A are rods D₁, D₁', covered with metallic cloth on
its pressing surface, and at the back with plates of copper, against which the
rollers K,. K', press. On the upper surfaces of the pieces C, C¹, is fixed a plate
of copper C₁, C. The rods D₁, D₁₁, are attached to the front framing B
by means of flat pieces forming three joints ₁, 0, 0, (Figures 1 and 2,) which
allow the rods to open the
pieces c, c', or to place them along the
part A, A'.
Each of these rods is pressed against the parts A, A', by a
roller K, shewn at Figures 2 and 3, which is pressed upon by the springs H₁,
H₁, H₁", H,¹¹¹ At the back of the carriage is a shaft roller, supported
on bearings D2', D", fixed to the framing B; at each end of this shaft is a
handle E, E; over this roller passes a strap or band, to the end of which
is attached a holder or stretcher, which stretches the skin lengthwise, and, by
means of the click N and the ratchet wheel N¹ on the shaft D, it is kept
in that stretched state as long as required. In order to stretch the skins cross-
ways there are two pieces of wood o, o¹, the end view of which is shewn at
Figure 4, and their position at Figures 1 and 2. These pieces turn in bear-
ings. The workman with one hand places and presses the skin over the upper
part of a piece of wood, so made in the form of a hook, and with the other, by
means of a lever, he gives to it the required stretching. On each side of the
carriage or frame are two troughs 1, 2, which are fixed to it by means of
screws and bands of iron, that are not shown in the Drawings. The trough >¹
contains the part of the skin which has not passed under the operation of the
cutter, and the trough that part of the skin which has passed under the
Sic in MS

page_text: cutter. The support, which is placed between the two cross pieces C, C', of the
carriage or frame, consists of a fixed piece L, and a sliding piece M', sliding
between two grooves M₁, M,. The moveable piece M¹ has at the back
part a rack, which works with a pinion N" on the shaft N,", which turns in
bearings at 0, 0, 0, shewn at Figures 3, 7, and 8. At the end of this
shaft is a lever P, seen at Figures 1, 2, 4, by which the pinion N may be
turned, and by which the moveable piece. M may be raised or lowered. The
object of this arrangement is to raise the moveable part of the support above
the level of the upper part of the carriage upon which the skin is stretched.
This piece M has at its upper part a small table M' (Figures 1 and 6), in which
there is a groove; in this groove there is an iron pieces (Figure 2), of the samo
form as the groove. This piece is fixed by a screw to a metal piece A, on the
table M¹, which is shewn in section at Figure 12; this piece is bent at its end;
in the bend is a recess to receive the neck of the screw x, the other end of
which passes into a hole in the piece M, and by screwing or unscrewing this
screw the metal piece A is moved forwards or backwards. This piece A, is
of an irregular form, shewn at Figure 12, one part of which presses on one of
two rows of keys, the use of which will be described hereafter. There is also
a hollow groove in which a projecting piece is placed between the rows of the
touches of the keys. There is also another plate placed above the first,
upon which presses the second row of the touches of the keys, as shewn at
Figure 12. This last plate is larger than the other, because on this the skin is
cut. At the inner part of this piece is an arc the fourth part of the circumfer-
ence which the blades of the cutter describe, the working of which will be
explained hereafter. The blades of the cutter advance about the sixteenth of
an inch upon the inner flat piece A₁, and the distance between the piece A₁
and the blades of the cutter may be regulated according to the thickness of the
skin to be cut. The skin, stretched upon the carriage, slides over the metal
piece A₁, A₁, in consequence of the movement given to the carriage. The
mode of fixing the moveable piece M and the metal piece A, will be hereafter
described. In the lower part of the piece M, shewn at Figure 6, there is a
square bole in which is placed a nut cut in two parts, which should be brought
together in such manner that there should not be any play between the two
parts. In this nut works the shaft Q, there being a screw at the end of it; to
the other end of the shaft is attached a conical pinion R, which takes into
another pinion R', which moves in the shaft T, which turns in bearings at
T, T", Figures 3 and 9; at the end of this shaft T is a lever S, by means
of which the pinions R, R', may be turned half round, and consequently raise
or lower the piece M by which the distance is regulated between the cutter

page_text: and the metal piece A₁. The shaft Q, as will be seen at Figure 6, has a
bearing at Q', and a projection which passes into a hole for that purpose in the
cross piece A,, shewn at Figures 6 and 9, which joins the points of the bear-
ing; upon this cross piece slides between two upright pieces A,, A,", a metal
picce B, B, B", which is divided at the back into two arms B', B₁",
that enter into the bearing Q¹ of the shaft Q. This piece B₁, B,', B₁", is
moved by means of the two levers shewn at Figures 5 and 9. The workman,
in raising the end V" of the lever, will cause the forked end of the piece B₁
to enter into the bearing Q, which fixes the piece M and the metal piece A₁,
although by means of the pinions R, R', and the lever S, the piece M and the
piece A, may be raised or lowered half a turn of the screw.
By this
the distance which is between the cutter and the metal piece A, may at all
times be regulated, even at the moment when the skin is split. When it is
desired to lower the piece M and the piece A, the levers V, V¹, V", which
releases the forked end of the piece B, from the bearing Q' of the shaft Q;
then, by means of the rack, the piece M and the piece A, may be easily
lowered. If it is desired to give to the screw several half turns the rack should
be raised, and the pinions taking into it would give to the screw Qa half turn;
then, by means of the pinion N" and the rack, the piece M would be lowered,
the screw and the pinion R being out of gear with the pinion R'. The
lever S is then brought back into the position which it before occupied and the
rack raised, when the pinions R, R', would take into it and give another half
turn to them, and would either raise or lower the piece M; and this should be
repeated until sufficient space is obtained between the metal piece A, and the
blades of the cutter.
I will now describe the rotatory cutter and the parts connected with it. On
each side of the carriage or frame in the middle of the machine is an upright
piece Q, Q, fixed upon the support of the machine. To one of the uprights
is fixed a framing B. At the lower part of this framing is affixed, by bolts, a
metal piece B₂, a section of which is shewn at Figure 11. This piece B' has
a hole formed therein screw-tapped at the point B₂". In this hole is screwed a
steel socket, in which turns the pivot at the lower end of the shaft C, of the
cutter. This shaft is retained securely by a screw, as shewn in the Drawing
Figure 11.
This screw is fixed by two nuts to a crosspiece Q₂ in such
manner as to allow of the falling or rising when required. The lower part
of the shaft C, near the pivot projects, to which a round plate of iron is
screwed underneath it, which is screwed to and turns with the shaft. In this
projection C, there are sixteen grooves, all converging towards the centre.
There are sixteen blades of steel which are fixed in these grooves, two of

page_text: which are seen in Figure 11, and five at Figure 10. In order to keep these
blades in their position to the plate D,, there is fixed, by means of screws,
a crown plate G, placed concentric to the shaft in such manner that the
blades are pressed between the plate D, and the crown plate G, upon the
piece B; and upon the lower part of the framing B, is fixed another piece
of metal K₁, which covers about two thirds of the cutter. In order that
the cutters should be kept well sharpened, there are shewn at Figures 20
and 21 two round stones or mills A, A¹, over and under which the ends of
the cutters pass as they turn round. The stone A sharpens the blades at the
upper part, and the stone A¹ at the lower. Each of these stones, Figure 20, is
fixed to the lower part of a shaft, which turns between two points; at the upper
part of these shafts are pulleys by which movement is communicated to the
stones. The stones turn in the same way as the cutter at a speed of about
sixty in a minute. The shaft of the stone A' turns between two points which
are fixed to a metal b¹, shewn at Figures 20 and 21. This piece slides
between two grooves, and, by means of the screw C¹, the piece may be
raised or lowered as required, and consequently bring the stone to the required
height. The same operation takes place with the piece b and the stone A.
The piece L' turns in bearings at N, N¹. The bearing N, is fixed to the
framing B, by a support W. The bearing N,¹ is fixed to the metal piece
K₁. At the lower part of the piece L, is rivetted a small piece of steel L.
By means of the arms R" the ends of the piece L' may be advanced to the
point P₁, and cause the part L¹ to enter under the part K₁ of the piece K₁.
Under this piece K, is a stop against which the piece L₁₁ is pushed, in order
that the angles L₁₁ should remain in their proper position passing through the
axis of the shaft of the cutter, and parallel to the axis of the screw G. The
piece L occupies the first position when the carriage or frame is brought back.
It prevents the blades of the cutters from catching and tearing away the part
of the skin which is raised. The piece L₁' occupies the second position when
the cutter is in operation, and the carriage advances. It then forces a portion
of the skin (already separated to pass above the cutter). There is also another
one fixed on the frame P, seen in the Plan, Figure 10, which also prevents
the crust or part already separeted from being cut by the cutter, and serves to
keep it in its proper position when it passes below the keys holder. Near the
uprights Qare bolted two pieces D., D', placed, as will be seen in the
Drawings, Figure 11, one above the other. They have each two holes therein,
through which are passed the screws of the metal pieces E., E,', E", E.,
into the parts E¹ and E, which enter another piece H, in such manner that
the four pieces D, D, E, E', E", E, and H, form a
parallelogram

page_text: to the four angles, of which are four joints F₁, F₁, I, and H,, shewn
at Figure 10. In the piece H, is fixed another piece N, called a keys
holder, having twenty-seven keys, each sliding between two grooves. With
the exception of the end grooves, each groove serves for two keys. In this
piece are twenty-seven round holes. Each of these holes is placed at the
back of the keys, as may be seen at Figure 10; and at the lower part of the
side, where the holes are the nearest to of the key, there is a small groove.
To the lower part of the key is fixed a metal piece of the form of the groove
and the hole, so that the key, sliding between the grooves, this piece, which is
fixed to the key, passes freely into the hole and the groove. Upon each these
pieces (for each of these keys have a similar piece) are spiral springs, which,
not being pressed upon, enter only about two thirds into the hole. There is
a plate of metal screwed on the key holder of the same form, and having
projections therefrom, which, when pressed upon the springs, lower them.
This piece E is
screwed a small
Figures 15 and 16 shew another arrangement of key holder, in which the
keys are of the form shewn at Figure 17, each of them sliding in two notches
made, the one in the sides d of the piece D, left for that purpose, and the
other on a piece of iron E, shewn in Drawing, Figure 18.
screwed to the piece D. At the upper part of each key is
rod F, Figure 17, around which is placed a spiral spring. Over these springs
is placed another plate of metal, Figure 19, perforated with as many small
holes as there are keys, each corresponding to a key, and of the same diameter
as the small rod F. In Figure 15 the keys 1, 2, 3, 17, 18, 19, 20, are repre-
sented with their rods. The keys 4, 5, 6, 7, 21, 22, 23, 24, are shewn with
their rods and springs; the others without their rods and without their springs.
In the Figure 16 all the keys have their rods. The two first only are shewn
with their springs. This key holder works as that before described, and for
the same object. Under all the keys of the same row there is a small sheet
of metal, which prevents them going into the skin as it pass along. The
elastic pressure is divided into several parts, because of the inequalities of the
skin, without which certain parts of the skin would not be sufficiently com-
pressed. The object in cutting the skin is to have the part which passes
under the cutter of a perfectly equal thickness, which is obtained by the elastic
pressure of the keys. The key holder N, has, at its lower part, between
the two rows of keys, projecting pieces affixed to it (shewn at Figure 12)
which enters into a similar neck piece to the piece Ai; and the skins pass
through these two neck pieces before they come to the cutter, and are held,
stretched, and pressed against the piece A₁. The form of this piece has
been described. The object of this form is to present it to the cutter in a

page_text: perfectly extended state. The outer row of keys which come in contact with
the creases of the skin do not remove them perfectly; but the projecting piece
which is between the two rows of the keys presses the skin down, and, by the
aid of the keys, removes the folds or creases.
The second row of keys presses,
as the first, upon the skin, which is already prepared, and prevents all the
irregularities of surface before it arrives at the cutter. The skin, as it is cut,
Joses its strength, and consequently it stretches. In all the different move-
ments of the cutter, with the exception of the first, there is another thing to
be observed, which is, to pass over the cutter the upper part that is cut into a
space, which has been so arranged between the cutter and the key holder.
After the carriage or frame has passed twice, the crust or upper part of the
skin will become wide, and be in the way. It should then be placed upon a
roller of the same length as the carriage placed above the piece C, C, and
turning in bearings A,, A,, attached to the framing of the carriage. The
key holder is fixed to a piece of the form of a parallelogram H,, which is to
be run out a sufficient distance together above the piece A₁, which is the
place that it occupies when the skin is cut. It is necessary that this move-
ment should take place at each action of the cutter, in order to bring back
the carriage to its first position, to prevent its interfering with the crust or
upper surface upon its return. In order to stop the key holder at any con-
venient place on the piece A, there is a large piece of wood against which it
presses, fixed to the wall of the building or other suitable support. At the
end of the wooden piece which touches the key holder there is an adjusting
screw to adjust its position as a stop. The shaft M². turns in bearings, and
receives motion from the power which works the machine, and communicates
it to the cutter by a band. The cutters turn about five or six hundred turns
a minute the speed is regulated by the diameter of the pullies. The mode
in which the machine works is as follows:-The cutters being arranged, and
all the pieces of the machine in the position they would be to split a skin, it is
first to be stretched over the carriage or frame. The metal piece A, being
lowered, the rods are to be placed in the necked parts A, A'. The carriage is
then to be moved by the screws G₁ until the first part of the skin is brought
under the first part of the cutter, when it will be held firmly by the side
between the neck pieces A, A, and the rods D₁, D₁. It is afterwards
stretched with the hooked pieces 0, 0, and the lever. The piece A, is then
to be raised by lowering the lever P. Then, in raising the lever V, the
branches B, B₁", of the piece B₁, are pushed into the bearings of the
shaft Q; then the piece A, is fixed as may be desired. The screw H has
then to be brought together in lowering the lever I, and the carriage will

page_text: tion.
advance. The screw G₁, by continually turning, will carry forward the car-
riage until the whole length of the skin has passed under the cutter, which
constitutes one operation. When that has taken place, the screw H is opened,
the metal piece A; lowered, and the carriage brought back to its former posi-
In opening the rods D₁, D₁, of the neck piece A, A', the skin is
moved laterally the width of the past cut during the operation. The wooden
rods are then put back into their position, and the skin stretched as before:
The metal piece A₁' is then raised, the screw H is again brought together,
and the second movement of the carriage is given; and so on, until the whole
length of the skin has passed under the cutter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MACHINE FOR DRESSING THE SURFACES OF
THE SKINS.
}
The skin being split by the machine before described, the surfaces are
rendered even by another machine which is similar in regard to the movement
of it to the mode of supporting the different parts, of fixing and stretching
the skins on to the frame, but instead of adapting to the table M¹ the metal
piece A₁, there is another piece of the same material, the position and the
form of which is shewn at Figure 1, and the section of it at Figure 13. The
form of this piece is that of two half-cylinders, making between them an angle
of from sixty to eighty degrees, and having their upper part a made flat:
above this piece X are two blades or cutters of steel, kept very sharp, and
which cut the skin as it is passed under them. Each of these blades are
fixed firmly by means of bolts passed through holes in the blade carrier Z, Z,
and the corresponding iron plate Z, Z. Each blade carrier is held be-
tween two points screwed into the part K', K", K, K, belonging to the
piece K connected to the upright by the framing S, St. Near the piece K at
the back of each blade carrier there is a screw fixed to prevent them from:
At the
falling back in such manner that they can only be released in front.
back of the piece K are one or roller which may be caused to descend or
rise up by means screw Y; this roller serves to lower the middle of the skin
at the moment that it goes above the piece X, and to stretch more the towards
the middle of the skin, for it is principally towards the middle that the tension:
is least, and at that part where the greatest number of creases or folds arise.
The oblique position of the blades stretch the skin crossways, and they may be.
stretched lengthwise by any convenient means. The skin passes between the.
piece and the blades, by which small pieces of the skin are cut away. The
To cut with a
skin then passes under this machine perfectly smooth and even.
straight-edged cutter there is affixed near the framing S, S', a metal piece S,:

page_text: the hinder part of which projects horizontally at g, h, k, l, Figure 24, and
vertically at g, h, k, l, shewn at Figure 23: the form of this piece is shewn
in the Drawings. On one part of this piece is a steel cutter i, i, Figure 27,
which is shewn in the Drawing in blue color in this Figure: this cutter is
affixed firmly to the piece g", ", h", by an iron piece j fixed by three bolts.
From above this piece j is also a blade (colored also in the Drawing blue)
which is bent, and the end comes near the cutting edge of the first blade: it is
a similar instrument to those used by joiners. At the under part of the blade
there is a piece A at Figure 27, A', Figure 24, A2, Figure 22. In front of the
blade is an iron piece B, Figure 27, B, Figure 24, B2, Figure 22: upon
each side of this piece are fixed by screws a plate of springs C, Figure 27,
C', Figure 24, C2, Figure 22. In the Drawing, this plate is colored yellow
in Figure 27 and 22. It is formed of three plates of copper placed one over
the other, in which there are eight slots in order to have nine blades: in the
Figures 22, 24, only one of these plates of springs is shewn, the others are of
a similar construction. The skin which is stretched upon the carriage or
frame, and placed upon the piece A, Figure 27, as in the machine for splitting,
passes between this piece and the plate of springs C and rises over the boss a
(Fig. 27) of the piece A, and passes under the cutter which cuts away the
unequal parts. When all the skin is thus passed under the cutter it is per-
fectly even and of a uniform thickness. When the carriage is brought back the
two plates of springs and the iron piece B, B¹, B", are raised by turning them
around a piece b, Figure 22. When the machine is in work the spring plate
is prevented from rising up by means of a piece of iron or wood, which presses
by one of its ends upon the piece B, B', B", and by the other upon the
framing of the machine. The movement to the pulley M (Figure 26) is given
by means of a band M', Figure 23: this pulley in turning gives an excentric
movement to the button N, Figure 26, and N1, Figure 23, which, by means
of the block x, y, Figure 26, and a¹, y', Figure 23, gives a to-and-fro move-
ment to the point P; consequently, as all the points o¹, o³, o³, o³, o³, 0º, are
jointed, and as all the Figures 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, is a parallelogram formed of
pieces of iron (the form of which is shewn at Figures 26 and 23), it results
that the piece of iron o*, o³, has also a to-and-fro movement. At the middle oⓇ
of this piece, Figure 23, is a small sphere over which is placed a metal plate n,
Figure 26, n', Figure 23, in the middle of which there is a half spherical hole
into which the sphere enters, and upon this plate is placed a sharpening stone.
On the end of this plate is a slot t, Figure 26, and t¹, Figure 23; in this slot
passes a bolt screwed tapped at the end of the piece of, 0. The sphere
turning in the half spherical hole gives a movement to the plate, and permits

page_text: the stone to act upon the blade to sharpen it, which will be found above to
take always the plane of the two cutters, the small bolt which enters into the
hole t, t, (Figures 26 and 23) and prevents the piece from turning by this
arrangement the piece o*, o³, gives to the stone the to-and-fro movement. All
this apparatus is fixed at the end of the carriage, as seen at Figure 26. To the
ends of the piece o, o, Figure 26, are attached weights, and as the two pieces
o', o, can turn in the vertical planes around the line u, u¹, as an axis, these
weights produce a pressure of the stone. against the blades, which, joined
to the to-and-fro movement, produces the friction of the blades, and
sharpens them. The bolt a is to be withdrawn, the block. x, y, will fall, and
the whole apparatus is raised, and by continuing it to turn round the line u, u',
the dressing of the skin is continued. The other parts of this machine
are worked in the same manner as those before described in the splitting
machine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING OF THE MACHINE FOR CUTTING AND
DRESSING SKINS.
Figure 1 is a plan of the machine, and Figure 2 an elevation seen from the
side A; Figure 3 an elevation from the side B, and Figure 4 from the side C;
Figure 5 is a vertical section following the line E of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a
vertical section of the support for the points of rest following the line G, H,
Figure 1; Figure 7 is an horizontal section from the lines M, N, Figure 8;
Figure 8 is an elevation seen from the side B; Figure 9 is an horizontal
section of the support for the lines K, L, of the Figure 8; Figure 13 is a
vertical section of the carrier of the blades and of the pieces over which
the skin passes following the lines W, V; Figure 14 is an elevation of the
blade carrier and the piece which supports it; Figures 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,
20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, & 27 are the different parts shown separately; X is
the metallic piece; X, X, the smaller part of it; Z, Z, are two blade
carriers; K', K", K, K, are four blade carriers; K' another piece;
S, S¹, are the two framings; Y, a roller; y, a screw.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details herein described so long as the peculiar character of
either part of the Invention be retained. But what I claim is the mode of
arranging machinery for splitting and dressing skins, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said René Joseph Le Comté du Colombier,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred forty-five.
(L.S.) RENE DU COLOMBIER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirty-first day of May, in the
year of our Lord 1845, the aforesaid René du Colombier came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-five.