Improvements in Machines for Treating Leather.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Treating Leather.
I MATTHEW N. HOWARD of the City of Brooklyn County of Kings and State
of New York United States of America Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a new or improved machine for stretching and rolling or
for stretching only or for rolling only leather in such a manner as to finish the same
smooth but without gloss on the surface.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side view of my improved machine for
treating leather.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line x a Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view of part of the machine showing the
supporting sheet and a part of the arrangement of the pressing rollers endless belt and
part of the stretching device.
Figure 4 is a side view of the parts shown in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the underside of the upper stretching device.
Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same on the line s-s
Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a front view of the upper and lower stretching devices.
Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same on the line v v
Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view on the line y-y Figure 10.
Figure 10 is a side view of the construction shown in Figure 9 and
Figure 11 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line z-z Figure 10.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the frame 1 of the machine the driving shaft 2 is mounted in suitable brackets
and carries. fixed and loose belt pulleys and the fixed pinion 3 engaging a cog
wheel 4 on a. shaft 5 on which shaft is also rigidly mounted a sprocket wheel 6.
Said sprocket wheel by means of an endless driving chain and a number of other
sprocket wheels transmits motion and power to the other parts of the machine in the
manner that will be hereinafter set forth.
To one of the upper arms of the frame 1 a double bracket 7 is secured which
has slotted horizontal arms 8. 8 and 9. 9 and to another upper arm of the frame a
bracket 10 is secured see Figure 2. In these brackets a shaft 11 is journaled in
vertically adjustable boxes and carries a sprocket wheel 12ª and a cog wheel 12 of
the same diameter as the sprocket wheel 12ª. The cog wheel 12 engages a pinion 13
on the same shaft with the upper pressure roller 14 and of the same diameter as
said roller the shaft of said roller 14 and cog wheel 13 being mounted in lugs 15 on
the underside of the slotted arms 8 of the brackets 7 and adjustable horizontally by
means of suitable bolts in said slots. The surface of said roller 14 is provided
with a coating or covering of emery or other friction material so as to enable it
to get a firm hold and grip on the leather and draw it through the stretching
dovice.
The cog wheel 12 and its shaft 11 can be adjusted vertically in the slots of the
brackets 7 and 10 by means of screws 16 which are mounted to turn in the brackets
and on the lower ends of which screws the journal boxes of said shaft 11 are
suspended. Two levers 17. 17 are mounted to swing on a pivot 18 and form a
swinging frame and on their free ends carry a pressure roller 19 and adjacent to
the same a smaller roller 20. An endless belt 21 made of any suitable material
passes around the roller 19 and around the pulley 22 mounted on the shaft 23 which
shaft also carries a sprocket wheel 50 of the same diameter as the pulley 22 on

page_text: said shaft see Figure 2. When the lovers 17. 17 are in the raised position as shown
in Figures 1 and 10 the rollers 19 and 20 with endless belt 21 passing around them
press against roller 14 in such a manner that roller 14 rests just between rollers 19
and 20 and has a firm hold on the skin or leather which rests on the endless belt 21.
The raising and lowering of the levers 17. 17 and the rollers 19 and 20 thereon is
accomplished by the large cams 24. 24 which are mounted on the shaft 25 which
also carries a sprocket wheel 26 driven by the endless driving chain 43. The edges
of the cams 24 act on the anti-friction rollers 27 mounted on a shaft 28 journaled
in boxes 31 sliding in brackets 29 projecting from the underside of a cross plate 30
uniting the swinging ends of the levers 17. Rubber springs 32 are interposed
between the said cross plate 30 and the boxes 31 to ensure a certain elasticity in the
stretching and rolling devices and to allow for the irregularities of the leather to pass
through the machine. At the same time the boxes 31 which are at the outer sides
of the cams 24 prevent the levers 17 from vibrating laterally. The mechanism for
stretching the leather consists of two parts the lower one 33 of which is bolted to
the plate 30 while the upper one 34 is bolted to the slotted arms 9. 9 of the
brackets 7 in such a manner that both parts touch each other under the desired
pressure when the levers 17 are raised as shown in Figures 1 and 9. The part 34
shown in detail in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 consists of a plate a braced by a rib 6 which
plate is provided in its underside with a series of curved and pointed grooves e the
inner edges of which are vertical. Against said vertical edges blades or knives d are
placed in such a manner that they project slightly beyond the bottom surface of the
plate a. The ends of screws g screwed through the plate a rest on the inner edges of
said blades d and by means of said screws the blades can be adjusted so that their
projecting edges are in the same plane. Said blades d are wed god tightly in place by
means of wedges h screws k and paste-board strips d'interposed between the blades
and the adjacent sides of the grooves .. The part 33 shown in detail in Figures 7
and 8 consists of the plates m secured to cross plate 30 Figures 1 and 10 and is
provided with a series of grooves n equal in number to the number of blades d on the
plate a. Said grooves n are curved like the blades d and so located that their central
lines are nearly below the edges of the blades d. A piece of leather o is stretched
over the grooves n and secured at one end of the plates m by means of screws o¹ and
drawn tight over said plate by means of screws p at the opposite end. The edge
of the leather o projects a certain distance beyond the screws p. p and the plates m for
the purpose which will be explained hereinafter. This leather in connection with
grooves n forms an elastic cushion which can be made of any other suitable material.
The blades d of the plate a and the grooves » of the plate m are as shown in
Figures 2 and 3 so arranged that their apexes point toward the direction from which
the leather is drawn. A flexible sheet 38 Figures 3 and 4 extends across the entire
machine between the upper and lower working parts and is fastened to beams 39
which are secured to brackets 40 projecting from the main frame 1; said sheet 38
bas an opening 41 of sufficient size for the plate m with leather covering o and for
that part of the endless belt 21 directly over the rollers 19.and 20 to be left free for
work. One end 42 of said opening 41 is cut out to match the above mentioned
projecting end part of the cushion leather o and is stitched to the same this causes
the sheet 38 to ascend and descend with the levers 17 and to form a table for the
leather under treatment see Figures 3 and 4.
The endless driving belt 43 rotates the sprocket wheels 12, 35, 50, 37, 26 and 36.
The roller 14 and the belt 21 travel in the same direction as indicated by the arrows
Figures 1 and 10 and have the same speed produced by the arrangement of the sizes
of the sprocket wheels gears and rollers as indicated which is necessary to ensure a
perfect rolling of the leather and to prevent the injurious sliding of the leather
against either one of them. Such sliding would occur if the speed of the belt 21
would be different from the speed of the surface of roller 14.
The operation is as follows:-
.
When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 4 that is the levers 17. 17
lowered the leather to be treated is placed upon the sheet 38 with the flesh side to

page_text: the top so that part of the leather rests on the endless belt 21 just over the rollers 19
and 20. As soon as the cams 24 rotate so far that the levers 17 are raised the
endless belt 21 is pressed against the pressure roller 14 while at the same time
the cushion leather o on the plate m is pressed toward the edges of the blades d
projecting from the plate a. The leather to be treated is thus pressed between the
roller 14 and the endless belt 21 and between the stretching device but the two
pressures are so adjusted that the pressure between the pressure rollers is much
greater than the pressure between the stretching devices. Therefore the roller :14
and belt 21 at once begin drawing the leather through between each other and
between the stretching device. The flesh side of the leather is drawn over the
blades d which being pointed and curved and having apexes as shown and described
gradually stretch and spread the leather in all directions an operation which is usually
Known as "staking."
The blades d cannot cut the leather under treatment on account of the grooves n
underneath the cushion leather o which furnishes an elastic cushion for the blades
and allows all irregularities and unevenness of the leather to pass through the
stretching device unhindered. At the same time the endless helt 21 between
which and rollor 14 the leather is rolled with its grain side towards. belt 21
imparts to the same a dull finish. After the cams 24 have made a half revolution
the levers 17 go back to their lower position the pressure on the leather ceases
and it can be either worked over any number of times or can be replaced by
another skin or piece of leather. The skin or piece of leather can be passed
through moist or dry as may be desired.
The stretching device 33 34 can also be made-to-stretch-or-smooth the leather
drawn through between the two parts either by using only the ribs between the
grooves without the blades d in connection with the cushion o or by using said
ribs fitted to the grooves n of part 33 without the cushion.
The upper and lower parts of the stretching device and the upper and lower
pressure rollers may be reversed and the machine may be used not only for
stretching and rolling the leather in one operation but for performing either work
only.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination with a fixed frame of a roller mounted on the same a swinging
frame rollers mounted on the swinging end of the same an endless belt passed
over said rollers a friction roller above the endless belt cams for raising the swinging
frame and a sheet extending over the belt and swinging frame substantially as set
forth.
2. The combination with a fixed frame of a roller mounted in the same a swinging
frame on said fixed frame and carrying on its swinging end two pressure rollers an
endless belt passed over said pressure rollers cams for raising the swinging frame
and an endless driving chain passing over sprocket wheels and imparting the
necessary movements of the rollers and endless belt substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a fixed frame of a pressure roller on the same a swinging
frame carrying pressure rollers over which an endless belt is passed a cushion plate
on the swinging frame adjacent to the pressure rollers a plate held on the fixed
frame above the cushion plate and having diverging stretching blades substantially as
set forth.
4. The combination with a fixed frame of a canvas sheet held on the same and
provided with an opening a pressure roller on the fixed frame and above said
opening a swinging frame below said sheet pressure rollers on said swinging frame
and below the opening in the sheet an endless belt passed over said rollers on the
swinging frame a cushion plate on said swinging frame adjacent to the rollers and a
plate held on the fixed frame and above the cushion plate and diverging knives on
the underside of said plate on the fixed frame substantially as set forth.

page_text: 5. The combination with a plate having diverging tongues and grooves on its
upper surface with their apexes pointing in the direction from which the leather
enters of a sheet of flexible material stretched over said grooves a plate above said
sheet of flexible material and diverging blades on the underside of said latter plate
substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with a plate having diverging grooves in its upper surface of
a sheet of flexible material stretched over said grooves a plate above said flexible
material diverging blades in the underside of said latter plate and screws for adjusting
said blades substantially as set forth.
7. A leather stretching device composed of two flat plates having divergent grooves
in the adjacent faces the tongues or ribs thus formed on one plate fitting in the
grooves in the other plate substantially as set forth
8. The combination with a cushion plate of a flat stretching plate having diverging
ribs that can act on the leather resting on the cushion plate substantially as set
forth.
9. The combination with the plate a having groove c of the blades d the wedges h
the screws 9
and the plate m having grooves n and of the sheet o substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 10th day of Decembar 1880
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant..