AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WORKING HIDES OR LEATHER
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WORKING HIDES OR
LEATHER." A communication from abroad by Edward Fitzhenry, of
Somerville, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 10th September 1872, and dated the 13th March 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th March 1872.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WORKING
65
HIDES OR LEATHER," a communication, to be as follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists in the construction and arrange-
ment of a machine for working hides and leather, as will be herein-after
more fully set forth.

page_text: The table upon which the leather or hide to be worked is laid is sup-
ported upon five right and left hand screws, one under the centre of the
table, and one under or nearly under each corner of the same. These
screws work in hollow posts provided with female screw threads and
secured to the under side of the table and to the floor, so that each end
of each screw works in one of these hollow posts. The said screws being
each right and left hand, it will be seen that by turning them in one
direction each screw works out of both of its posts, while by turning
them in the other direction each screw works into both of its posts, and
thus raises or lowers the table.
To the centre of each screw where the threads diverge is firmly
attached a pinion, and upon the pinions attached to the four corner
screws is supported a plate by means of strips or flanges which are
attached to the said plate and rest upon the pinions. Under these
flanges and on the edges of the plate are formed or attached rack bars
which gear with the said pinions on the four corner screws. The centre
screw passes through a longitudinal slot in the plate, on one side of
which slot is formed or attached a similar rack bar geared with the
pinion on the said centre screw, so that by the movement of the plate
towards either end all the five screws are simultaneously turned,
either raising or lowering the table.
The aforesaid plate is moved by means of a lever pivoted on a post
under the table and at the front side, the inner end of the said lever
being attached to a spring bar pivoted to the plate. By this means the
operator at his place in front of the table can readily adjust the table to
any height desired.
In the ceiling of the room in which my machine is placed, or on the
under side of a platform built over the said machine, are suspended two
parallel beams or bars, connected at the ends by suitable bolts or other
means to insure their retaining their relative positions. These bars are
suspended by means of four right and left hand screws provided with
pinions and working in hollow posts, and adjusted by means of a plate
having rack bars and flanges engaging with the said pinions, the whole
being operated by a lever and connecting rod in precisely the same
manner as above described for adjusting the table.
This lever is provided with a spring, pin, or pawl which enters a
segmental rack attached to the ceiling for holding the said lever at any

page_text: desired point, and thus prevent the bars from becoming deranged after
having been adjusted by the operation of the machine.
The said bars are at their lower edges provided with inward projecting
flanges running their entire length. These flanges enter longitudinal
grooves made in the edges of a bed plate or bar, so that the same may
slide back and forth on the said flanges as may become necessary during
the working of the machine. On the top of this bed plate in the centre
is a rack bar running lengthwise of the plate. Into this rack bar gears
a pinion on a shaft which has its bearings in the parallel bars, and is
upon its front end provided with a crank so that the operator can at any
time by the turning of the said crank move the bed plate with the entire
operating mechanism endways on the said bars or ways.
To the under side of the bed plate are attached grooved guides or ways
running at right angles with the line of motion of the said bed plate, and
in these guides or ways moves the upper circle of a turntable with
suitably flanged bars attached to the upper side of the said upper circle
and fitting in the guides or ways. The lower circle of the turntable is
formed in the centre of the upper side of a rectangular frame which
contains the operating mechanism, and the two circles are firmly joined
together so that the frame can easily swing on its pivot. At or near
each end of one of the aforesaid flanged bars is a pin which is intended
to come in contact with a projection on the under side of the guide to
prevent the displacement of the turntable.
In the centre of the frame is secured a horizontal steam or air cylinder
provided in the rear side with a steam chest. The valve stems are at
their outer ends attached to short levers, which are provided one at each
end on the rear side of the cylinder. Steam or compressed air is admitted
into the steam chest through a flexible pipe suspended from the ceiling
above the mechanism and provided with a stop-cock. The steam or air
is exhausted through a flexible pipe to the outside of the building or any
other place desired. These pipes may be suspended by cords, pulleys, and
weights, to be always drawn up out of the way of the machine.
The piston in the cylinder is provided with two rods which pass out
one through each head of the cylinder, and are attached to the ends of a
carriage. This carriage is suspended from and slides in grooves on the
sides of the lower bar of the frame, and the ends of the said carriage

page_text: Chest.
In the lower central part of the carriage is hung the double tool
holder on a rod which passes through boxes placed in recesses or slots in
the sides of the carriage. Under each box in its slot is a rubber spring
and a set screw operating or bearing on top of the said box regulates the
pressure as occasion may require. At each end of the tool holder are
suitable jaws for holding the sleekers or other tools.
In the carriage under the frame are two rods or bolts which are slotted
or mortised for the passage of a horizontal bar, provided on its under
side at the centre with an additional bar. This additional bar is for the
purpose of alternately striking two set screws arranged on the upper side
of the tool holder, one on each side of the centre, thereby tipping the
said tool holder and holding either end thereof down so that the tool in
the same will bear on the leather lying on the table. This tipping or
turning of the tool holder is produced just before the completion of each
stroke of the carriage when the bar strikes an eccentric on the under
side of the frame whereby the said bar is stopped while the carriage
completes its movement. This stoppage of the bar causes one of the set
screws to pass from under the additional bar, while the other set screw
passes under the same, and thus turns the tool holder on its pivot.
The rod which pivots each eccentric passes through the lower bar of
the frame, and is at its upper end provided with an arm or crank con-
nected by a rod with a lever pivoted on the said portion of the frame
and under the aforesaid cylinder. The two levers are thus within reach
of the operator, and when said levers are turned inwards toward the
centre the eccentrics are in position to operate in the manner above
described, but when turned outward the eccentrics assume such a
position that the sliding bar will strike them only so much in advance of
the completion of the stroke of the carriage as will relieve the tool from
its pressure without placing the other tool under any pressure, or when
desired only one of the eccentrics may, so to say, be thrown out of gear,
and thus only one of the tools operates on the leather.
In the working of hides and leather it is necessary to roll the same.
For this purpose the tool holder is removed and a roller is placed on its
rod, but in this case the rubber springs are placed on top of the boxes

page_text: as the pressure is upward, while with the tool holder it is downward in
the centre.
In this machine the table is stationary, or at least is not turned,
having only the up-and-down motion, and hence it does not require such
a large room, and it may be made of wood running cross ways, and of
any desired thickness to keep it from warping, or it may even be made
of metal, stone, or marble. The pressure is always the same from the
time the tool first strikes the leather till the instant when it is raised up.
from the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Thirteenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR WORKING HIDES OR LEATHER," a communication
to me from abroad by Edward Fitzhenry, of Somerville, Massachusetts,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
"

page_text: and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
The nature of my Invention consists in the construction and arrange-
ment of a machine for working hides or leather, as will be herein-after
Mann fullt fantle

page_text: screws is supported a plate D by means of strips or flanges 6, which are
attached to the said plate and rest upon the pinions, as shown in Figure 3..
Under these flanges 6 and on the edges of the plate are formed or attached
rack bars d which gear with the said pinions on the four corner screws.
The centre screw passes through a longitudinal slot in the plate D; on
one side of this slot is formed or attached a similar rack bar d which
gears with the pinion on the said centre screw, so that by the movement
of the plate D towards either end all the five screws are simultaneously
turned, thus either raising or lowering the table A.
The aforesaid plate D is moved by means of a lever G pivoted on a
post E under the table and at the front side, the inner end of the said
lever being attached to a spring bar H pivoted to the plate D. By
this means the operator at his place in front of the table can readily
adjust the table to any height desired.
In the ceiling of the room in which my improved machine is placed,
or on the under side of a platform built over the said machine, are
suspended two parallel beams or bars I connected at the ends by suitable
bolts or other means to insure their retaining their relative positions.
These bars are suspended by means of four right and left hand screws B¹
provided with pinions a¹ and working in hollow posts C¹, and adjusted
by means of a plate D¹ having rack bars d' and flanges 6¹ engaging with
the said pinions a¹, the whole being operated by a lever G¹ and connect-
ing rod H, all in precisely the same manner as above described for
adjusting the table A.
This lever G¹ is provided with a spring pin or pawl e, which enters a
segmental rack fattached to the ceiling for holding the said lever at any
desired point, and thus prevents the bars I, I, from becoming deranged
after having been adjusted by the operation of the machine. The entire
operating mechanism of my machine being attached or connected to the
bars I in the manner herein-after described, it will be seen that the
operator, from his position in front of the table, can not only raise and
lower the table, but can also raise and lower the entire operating
mechanism as occasion may require.
The said bars I are at their lower edges provided with inward pro-
jecting flanges running the entire length of the said bars. These
flanges enter longitudinal grooves made in the edges of a bed plate or
bar J, so that the same may slide back and forth on the said flanges as

page_text: may become necessary during the working of the machine. On the top
of this bed plate J in the centre is a rack bar h running lengthwise of
the plate. Into this rack bar gears a toothed pinion i on the shaft K
which has its bearings in the bars I, and is at its front end provided
with a crank L, so that the operator can at any time by the turning of
the said crank move the bed plate J with the entire operating mechanism
endwise on the bars or ways I.
To the under side of the bed plate J are attached grooved guides or
ways M running at right angles with the line of motion of the said bed
plate, and in these guides or ways moves the upper circle N of a turn-
table N by means of suitably flanged bars O attached to the upper side
of the said upper circle, and fitting in the guides or ways M. The lower
circle of the turntable N¹ is formed in the centre of the upper side of a
rectangular frame P which contains the operating mechanism, and the
two circles are firmly joined together so that the frame P can easily
swing on its pivot. At or near each end of one of the flanged bars O is
a pink which is intended to come in contact with a projection m on the
under side of the guide M to prevent the displacement of the turn-
table.
In the centre of the frame P is secured a horizontal steam or air
cylinder R provided on the rear side with a steam chest S. This cylinder
and chest are constructed in any suitable manner, and the valve stems n
are at their outer ends attached to short levers p, which are pivoted one
at each end on the rear side of the cylinder. Steam or compressed air
is admitted into the steam chest S through a flexible pipe T suspended
from the ceiling above the mechanism, and. provided with a stop-cock
within reach of the operator, so that he can at any time shut off or
admit the steam or air, and regulate the supply, and thereby control the
speed of the machine. The steam or air is exhausted through a flexible.
pipe V: extending to the outside of the building or any other place
desired. These flexible pipes form no impediment to the various mani-
pulations of the machine, but permit its free and easy movement in
every direction. These pipes may be suspended by cords, pulleys, and
weights to be always drawn up out of the way of the machine..
The piston in the cylinder R is provided with two rods W which pass
out, one through each head of the cylinder, and are attached to the
ends of a carriage Y. This carriage is suspended, from and slides in
grooves on the sides of the lower bar of the frame P, and the ends of

page_text: 0
rubber spring v, and a set screw w operating or bearing on the top of
the said box regulates the pressure as occasion may require. At cach
end of the tool holder Z are suitable jaws for holding the sleekers X or
other tools.
In the carriage Y under the frame P are two rods or bolts x which
are slotted or mortised for the passage of a horizontal bar y provided
on its under side at the centre with an additional bar z. This additional
bar z is for the purpose of alternately striking two set screws e¹ arranged
on the upper side of the tool holder, one on each side of the centre,
thereby tipping the said tool holder, and holding either end, thereof
down so that the tool in the same will bear on the leather lying on the
table A. This tipping or turning of the tool holder is produced just
before the completion of each stroke of the carriage Y, when the bar y
strikes an eccentric f' on the under side of the frame P, whereby the
said bar is stopped while the carriage completes its movement. This
stoppage of the bar y causes one of the set screws e¹ to pass from under
the additional bar while the other set screw passes under the same,
and thus turns the tool holder on its pivot.
provided with an arm or crank i
pivoted on the said portion of the
The two levers k¹ are thus within
The rod which pivots each eccentric passes through the lower bar of
the frame P, and is at its upper end
connected by a rod ¹ with a lever /
frame P and under the cylinder R.
reach of the operator, and when the said levers are turned inward
toward the centre the eccentrics f¹ are in a position to operate in the
manner above described, but when turned outward the eccentrics
assume such a position that the sliding bar y will strike them only
so much in advance of the completion of the stroke of the carriage as
will relieve the tool from its pressure without placing the other tool
under any pressure, or when desired only one of the eccentrics may be
thrown out of gear, and thus only one of the tools will operate on the
leather.

page_text: The levers for raising and lowering the table and the operating
mechanism, the levers for starting and stopping the motion of the
tools, and the stop-cock for regulating the power, are all so arranged
that the operator can conveniently, while in his position at the front
of the table, attend to the whole without assistance. If desirable or
necessary a shaft and fly wheel and an eccentric may be added to the
machine.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. A hide or leather working machine in which the entire
operating mechanism is capable of swinging and moving in every
direction, substantially as herein set forth.
Second. The arrangement in a hide or leather working machine
of a steam or air engine upon and with the operating mechanism of
the said machine, substantially as herein set forth.
Third. The adjusting mechanism for the table A, consisting of the
five right and left hand screws B, hollow posts C, pinions a, and
plate D, with flanges b, and racks d, the whole operated by means
of the lever G and connecting bar H, substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
Fourth. The bars I supporting from their inner sides the entire
operating mechanism, and adjusted by means of the right and left
hand screws B', hollow posts C³, pinions a¹, and plate D', with
flanges b', and racks d', the whole operated by means of the lever G¹,
correcting bar H', spring pin e and rack f, substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
Fifth. The combination of the sliding bed plate J with the rack
bar h, pinion i on the crank shaft K, guides M, flanged bars O, turn-
table N, N', and frame P, all constructed and arranged substantially
as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Sixth. The combination of the turning and sliding frame P, engine
R, S, and carriage Y, all substantially as and for the purposes herein
set forth.
Seventh. An engine arranged to operate with its piston rods directly

page_text: upon the sliding carriage containing the tool holder, in a hide or
leather working machine, substantially as herein set forth.
h
°
Eighth. The arrangement of the valve stems n and levers p to be
operated by the end of the carriage Y, substantially as herein set
forth.
...
2.
1
Ninth. The tool holder Z constructed as shown and hung upon the:
rod & in combination with the boxes t with rubber springs v, and set
screws w, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
"
Tenth. The sliding bar y provided with the enlargement or additional
.
5
bar z in combination with the set screws e¹ on, the tool holder, substan- 1
tially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Eleventh. The eccentrics f¹ pivoted on the under side of the frame P,
and operating in combination with the sliding bar y, substantially as
and for the purposes herein set forth.
Twelfth. The combination of the eccentrics ƒ", arms or cranks
connecting rods ¹ and levers k¹, all constructed and arranged substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Thirteenth. In a hide or leather working machine the arrangement
of the tool stopping levers away from the moving carriage which con-
tains the tools, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Fourteenth. The roller A hung upon the rods in combination with
the boxes't with rubber springs and set screws w, both on the top of
said boxes, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
.-unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
1
Witness,
CHAS. J. GOOCH.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)