IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TANNING OF HIDES OR SKINS
Year: 1881

page_text: ·LETTERS PATENT to George Lomas Loversidge, of Rochdale, in the County of
York, Tanner and Currier, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TANNING OF HIDES OR SKINS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Lomas Loversidge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th August 1881.
GEORGE LOMAS LOVERSIDGE, of Rochdale, in the County of York, Tanner and
Currier. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TANNING OF HIDES OR SKINS."
My Invention relates to the tanning of hides or skins by the employment of
valonia oak bark or other tanning materials in conjunction with borax or boracic
acid, or in conjunction with borax or boracic acid and citric acid, whereby a
considerable saving of time is effected, and a leather or tanned hide or skin of
superior quality and also a greater per centage of weight is obtained at a considerable
less cost..
In carrying out my Invention by the employment of valonia oak bark or other
tanning materials in conjunction with both borax and citric acid, I proceed in the
following manner:-I prefer that the hides or skins should have undergone the
ordinary preliminary treatment of. liming, fleshing, and unhairing, and when
sufficiently well prepared I submit them firstly to the action of a bath (No. 1)
composed of a solution or extract of valonia, catechu, or other equivalent tanning
material marking about 5 degrees on the Twaddell's hydrometer, and a mixture of
about 3 parts by weight of borax and about 1 part by weight of citric acid; these
are dissolved separately in warm water, and then mixed together and added to the
bath, say, in the proportion of about 4 lbs. to 250 gallons of liquor. The hides or
skins are handled about 6 times a day for about 1 day, when they are removed to
a second bath (No. 2), which is composed of a solution or extract of valonia
or other tanning materials marking about 7 degrees on the hydrometer, and of the
mixture before mentioned, of borax and citric acid, in such a quantity as above
mentioned. The hides or skins are allowed to remain in this bath for about 2 days,
177

page_text: they being handled about twice per diem. After the expiration of the second day
the hides or skins are placed in a bath (No. 3), consisting of a solution or extract
of valonia or other equivalent tanning material, and of the mixture before mentioned
of borax and citric acid in such a quantity as above mentioned; and after the hides
or skins have been immersed I keep up the original strength of the bath by the
addition of valonia or its equivalent, and borax and citric acid as required. In
this bath the hides or skins are allowed to remain for about 10 days; in some cases,
where very thick hides are operated upon, they may at this stage of the process be
with advantage transferred to another bath (No. 4), consisting of a solution or
extract of valonia or other tanning materials marking 12 degrees on the hydrometer,
and of the mixture before mentioned of borax and citric acid in the proportion
of, say, about 5 lbs. to 250 gallons of liquor. In this bath thick hides may be
allowed to remain for about 6 days. Between each hide as they are placed in the
bath about 9 lbs. of bark or valonia should be strewn. In the case of hides of
ordinary thickness they will not need to be subjected to the action of the bath;
where, as I have stated, thick. hides may be treated and allowed to remain six days,
more or less, but they should be transferred from the bath, where, as I have above
stated, they should be treated, and allowed to remain-10 days, to the bath I may
term the final bath, which is composed of a solution or extract of valonia or other
tanning materials marking 13 degrees on the hydrometer, and to which are added
the mixture before mentioned of borax and citric acid in the proportion of, say,
about 5 lbs. to 250 gallons of the liquor. Between each hide or skin, as they are
placed in the bath, about 16 lbs. of oak bark or valonia are scattered or strewn,
and they are allowed to remain therein for about fourteen days, when they are
removed and finished in the ordinary manner.
Boracic acid may be used in a similar manner to borax.
When borax or boracic acid is used in conjunction with valonia and oak bark or
other tanning materials without citric acid, I employ the borax or boracic acid in
the same proportions as borax and citric acid. prefer only to use them in con-
junction where heavy hides are to be operated upon.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Lomas Loversidge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th February 1882.
GEORGE LOMAS LOVERSIDGE, of Rochdale, in the County of York, Tanner and
Currier. " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TANNING OF HIDES OR SKINS."
My Invention relates to the tanning of hides or skins by the employment of
valonia oak bark or other tanning materials, in conjunction with borax or with
boracic acid, or in conjunction with borax or boracic acid, together with citric acid,
whereby a considerable saving of time is effected, and a leather or tanned hide.or
skin of superior quality and also a greater percentage of weight is obtained at a
considerable less cost.
In carrying out my Invention by the employment of valonia oak bark or other
tanning materials in conjunction with borax and citric acid, I proceed in the
following manner :-I prefer that the hides or skins should have undergone the
ordinary preliminary treatment of liming, fleshing, and unhairing, and when
sufficiently well prepared I submit them firstly to the action of a bath (No. 1)
composed of a solution or extract of valonia, catechu, or other equivalent tanning
material marking about five degrees on Twaddell's hydrometer, and a mixture of
about three parts by weight of borax and about one part by weight of citric acid;
these are dissolved separately in warm water, and then mixed together and added to
the bath, say, in the proportion of about four pounds to two hundred and fifty gallons
of liquid. The hides or skins are handled about six times a day for about one day,
when they are removed to a second bath (No. 2), which is composed of a solution or
extract of valonia or other tauning materials marking about seven degrees on the
hydrometer, and of the mixture before inentioned of borax and citric acid in such a
quantity as above mentioned. The hides or skins are allowed to remain in this bath
for about two days, they being handled about twice per day. After the expiration of
the second day the hides or skins are placed in a bath (No. 3) consisting of a solution
or extract of valonia or other equivalent tanning material, and of the mixture
before mentioned of borax and citric acid in such a quantity as above mentioned;
and after the hides or skins have been immersed I keep up the original strength of
the bath by the addition of valonia or its equivalent, and borax and citric acid as
required. In this bath the hides or skins are allowed to remain for about ten
days; in some cases, where very thick hides are operated upon, they may at this
stage of the process be with advantage transferred to another bath (No. 4)
consisting of a solution or extract of valonia or other tanning materials marking
twelve degrees on the hydrometer, and of the mixture before mentioned of borax
and citric acid in the proportion of, say, about five pounds to two hundred and fifty
gallons of the liquor. In this bath thick hides may be allowed to remain for about
six days. Between each bide, as they are placed in the bath, about nine pounds
of bark or valonia should be strewn. In the case of hides of ordinary thickness
they will not require to be subjected to the action of the bath (No. 4); where, as
I have stated, thick hides may be treated and allowed to remain six days, more
or less, but they should be transferred from the bath, where, as I have stated, they
should be treated and allowed to remain ten days (No. 3), to the bath which I
may term the final bath, and which is composed of a solution or extract of valonia
or other tanning materials marking thirteen degrees on the hydrometer, and to
which are added the mixture before mentioned of borax and citric acid in the
proportion of, say, about five pounds to two hundred and fifty gallons of the liquor.
Between each hide or skin, as they are placed in the bath, about sixteen pounds of
oak bark or valonia are scattered or strewn, and they are allowed to remain therein
for about fourteen days, when they are removed and finished in the ordinary manner,
Boracic acid may be used in a similar manner to borax.

page_text: When borax or boracic acid is used in conjunction with valonia and oak bark or
other tanning materials without citric acid, I employ the borax or boracic acid
in the same proportion as the herein before given combined proportions of borax
and citric acid. I prefer to use borax and boracic acid in conjunction only where
heavy hides are to be operated upon, the proportions in this case being three parts of
borax to one part of boracic acid.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
The tanning of hides or skins by. the employment of valonia, oak bark, or other
equivalent tanning materials in conjunction with either borax or boracic acid, or
in conjunction with borax and boracic acid, or in conjunction with borax and
citric acid, or in conjunction with boracic acid and citric acid, substantially as
herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Lomas Loversidge, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of February,
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
GEORGE LOMAS LOVERSIDGE. (L.S.)