IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TANNING OF HIDES AND SKINS.
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Mountford, of Grasscroft, near Greenfield,
in the County of York, Manager, and George Lomas Loversidge, of
Hayes Street, in the City of Manchester, Tanner, for the Invention of
66
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TANNING OF HIDES AND SKINS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Mountford and
George Lomas Loversidge at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 23rd July 1866.
We, GEORGE MOUNTFORD, of Grasscroft, near Greenfield, in the County
of York, Manager, and GEORGE LOMAS LOVERSIDGE, of Hayes Street, in the
City of Manchester, Tanner, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TANNING OF HIDES AND SKINS," to be as.
follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved method of tanning by the employment
of valonia, or of valonia and turmeric, or of valonia, turmeric, and oak bark, in
conjunction with what is known in commerce as American pearl ashes, and
which as is well understood consists essentially of carbonate of potash,
whereby a considerable diminution of time is effected, and a leather, or
tanned hide, or skin of superior quality is obtained.

page_text: In carrying out our Invention we prefer that the hides or skins should
have undergone the ordinary preliminary treatment of liming, fleshing, and
unhairing, and when sufficiently well prepared we submit them, firstly, to the
action of a bath composed of a solution or extract of valonia, marking about
one degree on the hydrometer, and of American pearl ashes, which have been
added in the proportion of about 4 pounds to every 160 gallons of such bath.
The hides or skins are handled about three times a day for about three
days, when they are removed to a second bath, which is composed of a
solution or extract of valonia, marking about three degrees on the hydrometer,
and of American pearl ashes added in the proportion of about 5 lbs. to every
150 gallons of such bath. The hides or skins are allowed to remain in this
bath for about 4 days, they being handled about twice per diem. After the
expiration of the fourth day they are to be placed in a bath consisting of a
solution or extract of valonia marking seven degrees on the hydrometer, and
of American pearl ashes added in the proportion of 5 lbs. to every 150 gallons
of the bath; and after the hides or skins have been immersed we keep up the
original strength of the bath by the addition of valonia and pearl ashes as
required. After having remained in this bath for about seven days they are
removed into a bath consisting of a solution or extract of valonia marking
nine degrees on the hydrometer, and of American pearl ashes in the pro-
portion of 2 lbs. to every 150 gallons of the solution composing the bath.
In this bath the bides or skins are allowed to remain for about nine days,
when they are to be removed to a bath composed of a solution or extract
of valonia marking nine degrees on the hydrometer, and to which is added
2 lbs. of American pearl ashes to every 150 gallons of such bath. Between
each bide or skin as they are placed in the bath about 6 lbs. of oak bark or
valonia with about 3 lbs. of turneric are scattered or strewn, and they are
allowed to remain therein for about 14 days, when they are removed and
finished in the ordinary manner.
Although we have given certain proportions of valonia, and pearl ash, and
of oak bark, and turmeric, and have stated about the duration of time-
necessary for effecting the tanning of the hides or skins, it will be understood
that these will differ and vary according to the materials to be operated upon,
and the result it is desired to obtain.

page_text: DEECIFICATION in pursuance or the conditions of the Letters Patent, hied
by the said George Mountford and George Lomas Loversidge in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
MOUNTFORD, of Grasscroft, near Greenfield, in the County of York, Manager,
and GEORGE LOMAS LOVERSIDGE, of Hayes Street, in the City of Manchester,
Tanner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said George Mountford and George Lomas Loversidge, Her special license,
that we, the said George Mountford and George Lomas Loversidge, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said George
Mountford and George Lomas Loversidge, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TANNING OF HIDES AND SKINS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George Mountford and
George Lomas Loversidge, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our bands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us;
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, 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 we, the said George Mountford and George Lomas
Loversidge, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
Our said Invention relates to an improved method of tanning by the
employment of valonia, or of valonia and oak bark in conjunction with what
is known in commerce as American pearl ashes, and which as well understood
consists essentially of carbonate of potash, whereby a considerable diminution
of the time required for the process of tanning is effected, and a leather, or
anned hide, or skin of superior quality is obtained. In cases where it is

page_text: advisable to give a yellowish colour to the leather turmeric may be used w
the valonia, or valonia and oak bark.
In carrying out our Invention we prefer that the hides or skins should
have undergone the ordinary preliminary treatment of liming, fleshing, and
unhairing, and when sufficiently well prepared we submit them, firstly, to the
action of a bath composed of a solution or extract of valonia marking about
one degree on the Twaddell's hydrometer, and of American pearl ashes which
have been added in the proportion of about four pounds to every one hundred
and sixty gallons of such bath. The hides or skins are handled about three
times a day for about three days, when they are removed to a second bath,
which is composed of a solution or extract of valonia marking about three
degrees on the hydrometer, and of American pearl ashes added in the
proportion of about five pounds to every one hundred and fifty gallons of
such bath. The hides or skins are allowed to remain in this bath for about
four days, they being handled about twice per diem. After the expiration of
the fourth day the hides or skins are placed in a bath consisting of a solution
or extract of valonia marking seven degrees on the bydrometer, and of
American pearl ashes added in the proportion of five and a half pounds
to every one hundred and fifty gallons of the bath. In this bath the hides
or skins are allowed to remain for about seven days, during which period
very thick
they should be handled about four times. In some cases where
bides are operated upon they may at this stage of the process be with
advantage transferred to another bath consisting of a solution or extract of
valonia marking nine degrees on the hydrometer, and of American pearl ashes
in the proportion of two and a half pounds to every one hundred and fifty
gallons of the solution composing the bath. In this bath the thick hides may be
allowed to remain for about nine days (being handled three times during the
nine days), more or less time being required according to the nature and
thickness of the hides operated upon, as may be ascertained by cutting and
examining the hides, as is well known by persons familiar with the tanning
process. In the case of hides of ordinary thickness they will not need to be
subjected to the action of the bath, where, as we have stated, thick hides may
be treated, and allowed to remain nine days more or less, but they should be
transferred from the bath where, as we have above stated, they should be
treated, and allowed to remain seven days to the bath which we may term the
final bath, which is composed of a solution or extract of valonia marking
nine degrees on the hydrometer, and to which are added two and a half
pounds of American pearl ashes to every one hundred and fifty gallons of such
bath. Between each bide or skin as they are placed in the bath about six

page_text: 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
n the ordinary manner. The very thick hides should also be treated in the
bath we have termed the final bath for a period of fourteen days more or less.
Instead of valonia ordinary oak bark or other equivalent tanning materials
may be employed, and instead of American pearl ashes, which we consider
to be most advantageous, the constituents forming American pearl ashes may
be employed.
Although we have given certain proportions of valonia, and American pearl
ash, and of oak bark, and have stated about the duration of time necessary
for effecting the tanning of the hides or skins, it will be understood that
these will vary according to the materials to be operated upon, and the result
desired to be obtained.
In cases where it is not necessary to give to the leather the color imparted by
turmeric that material may be dispensed with. It should always be borne in
mind that the baths employed respectively should be maintained at about the
strength we have indicated, and as the materials of which they are composed
are taken up or removed during the processes of treating in them the hides or
skins, as we have described, fresh materials should be added from time to time
to replace those that may have been removed.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be performed, we
would observe in conclusion, that what we consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the process of tanning hides and skins by immersing
and treating them in the baths composed of a solution of American pearl
ashes, or of the chemical constituents forming American pearl ashes, added
to the liquor or infusion of valonia, oak bark, or other suitable tanning
material in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Lomas Loversidge, on behalf of
myself and the said George Mountford, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of January, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-seven.
GEORGE LOMAS LOVERSIDGE. (L.S.)