IMPROVEMENTS IN FORMING LEATHER INTO TUBES, CYLINDERS, SWITCHES, CASES, SHEATHS, HATS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FRANCOIS
DURAND, Engineer, and ONESIPHORE PECQUEUR, Engineer, both of Paris, in the
Kingdom of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifteenth day of
October, One thousand eight hundred and forty-six, in the tenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
the said Francois Durand and Onesiphore Pecqueur, our exors, admors,
and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that us, the said Francois Durand and Onesiphore Pecqueur, our exors,
admors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Francois Durand
and Onesiphore Pecqueur, our 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 make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FORMING LEATHER INTO TUBES, CYLINDERS,
SWITCHES, CASES, SHEATHS, HATS, AND OTHER ARTICLES;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that we, the said Francois Durand and Onesiphore
Pecqueur, or one of us, shall cause a particular description of the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under the hands and seals of us, or one of us, 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, we, the said
Francois Durand and Onesiphore Pecqueur, do hereby declare that the nature
of our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
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 :-
This Invention consists of arrangements of machinery for splitting bands, or
other forms of leather, into tubes, cylinders, and other articles, in such manner
as to obtain the required form without sewing or glueing, the sides being
formed by the portion of the leather not cut. The first machine, which is more
particularly intended for the manufacture of scabbards and sheaths for swords
and other arms, is represented in Figure 1, which is an elevation, Figure 2 a
plan, and Figure 8 a transverse section of this machine, which is intended to
split a band of leather throughout its length, and only of a portion of its width,
as will be hereafter explained; and the operation will be performed in such
manner as to preserve an equal thickness of leather upon the sides of the part
which is slit, so that when a mandril is introduced, of the form into which the
leather is intended to be shaped, whether for a scabbard or sheath, the thickness
of leather cut will be equal on all sides. It will, therefore, at once be seen that
before commencing operation of making the scabbard, that the leather should
be of double the thickness than the article would be when completed, and this
remark will apply to the other descriptions of articles to be made. A is the
framing of the machine, which may be made of wood or metal. B is a pedal
on which the workman presses with his foot, when he desires to put the parts
of the machine into work. C is a rod which connects the hoddle to the crank
on the shaft B. E is a wheel, around which passes a cord F; which is guided
by the pulley g, and passes over the pulley h. I is the vertical axis of the
pulley h, and which turns in a socket at e, which is formed by a screw d. At
the upper of this upright axis I is an adjustable crank pin i, to which the
connecting rod J is attached, and the rotatory motion of the axis I produces a
to and fro motion to the rod J; the other end of this rod is connected as shewn
at Figure 4, to the one end of the lever k, which lever k moves in bearings
at o, and the other end of this lever / carries the cutting instrument L. The
lever k, and consequently the cutting instrument L, has an horizontal course in
proportion to the distance of the point of connection of the lever J with the
slolled part of the lever k, from the point o. Figure 4 is a section, which shews
the mode of adjusting the rod J with the lever k. On the shaft I is a fly
wheel M and also a pinion 1, which takes into and drives a wheel m placed
upon a shaft n, upon the upper part of which is a pinion p, which takes into

page_text: and drives a wheel 9 placed upon a small shaft r, which transmits the move-
ment of the wheels s, t, and u, and through the bevilled wheels v, x, to the
grooved roller N, over which roller N the leather to be cut passes, guided by
the guiding pieces P, which are placed upon the projection R. Q is a roller,
which in the Figure 2 is represented as being shown back; this roller is supported
in a framing U, and the object of it is to press upon the band of leather (placed
on the roller N) to be cut, which it does by means of the lever presser V, which
turns in bearings at X; the suitable pressure is regulated by means of the screw
nuts Y, as will be understood by examining the Drawings. The machine
being thus arranged, and the piece of leather to be cut being first moistened
with water is placed over the grooved roller N, when the roller Q is shown
back as shewn at Figure 2. The cutter L is then to be brought in a central
position to the thickness of the leather; the roller Q will then have to be
brought over to press upon the leather, the pressure being given as before
described; the machine will then be put in motion by the workman pressing on
the hoddle B with his foot. It will result from the to and fro movement of the
cutting instrument, and the rotation of the rollers N and Q through the
pinions Z, Z, that the band of leather will advance continuously to be split,
and the tubular cut portion of the leather will pass on the lever k, and the
course of the cutting instrument will be regulated according to the width of the
slit to be made in the thickness of the band of leather.
We will now describe the Drawings No. 2, which is intended more
especially for cutting bands of leather into tubes and pipes. Figure 5 shows
an elevation of this machine, and Figure 6 a plan of the same. In many
respects this machine is of a similar construction to the one described in
Drawing No. 1, and whenever similar parts occur I have marked them with
the same letters; but the principal difference between this and the last
described machine is in the arrangement of the rod J¹ and of the cutting
instrument carrier K', separate views of which are given in the Figures 7, 8,
9, and 10. The rod J¹ (which receives its motion from the rotation of the
shaft I) is connected to the cutting instrument carrier K' by a frame b, as
shewn at Figure 9, in such manner as to leave sufficient space to allow the
band of leather to pass through in proportion as the operation of cutting
takes place. The instrument cutter K' moves in bearings at O', some distance
from the rollers N and Q; by this arrangement long lengths of tubes may be
cut from bands of leather.
I will now describe the Drawings which represent the machinery intended
for the manufacture of leather bottles from bands of leather, or other vessels
where the necks or entraces thereto are smaller than the body part. In

page_text: Drawing No. 3, Figure 11 represents a plan; Figure 12, in the same
Drawing, represents a bottle of the form required. In Drawing No. 4 is
represented, in Figure 13, a front view; and at Figure 14, in Drawing No. 5,
a side view of the machine. In these three Drawings the same letters
indicate the same parts wherever they occur. A, A', is the framing of the
machine, connected together by the cross frames B¹, B, B, Bш C, C³, are
two supports attached to the framing A, and which serve to support the main
shaft D in the vertical position that it is intended it should occupy in the
centre of the machine. At the lower part of the support C is a cylinder E,
which rests upon the end of the a screw, which supports the shaft D, and by
means of which screw F the required height is given to the shaft, and its
permanent position is secured by means of the band G and screw. C' is another
support attached to the framing of the machine, and the upper conical end of
the shaft D passes through a conical hole formed therein; the object of this
conical adjustment heing for the purpose of preventing the injurious acting
upon the shaft which the continued use of it would produce through this
support; Calso passes a fixed bolt C". H and H¹ are two arms moving on
the shaft D and fixed to the bolt C. The arm H is fixed to the shaft D,
and at the other end to an upright rod I, at the upper end of which is a screw
nut, and at the lower end a pointer, the object of which will be seen hereafter.
It is by means of the screw bolt I' that the machine is put into motion. The
arm H has, as before described, its centre of rotary motion on the bolt C";
on this bolt C is a rack having teeth on both sides; in these teeth are adjusted
a piece L, having in the centre of it a conical hole, and into this hole
is placed a conical plug m, divided into three parts.
screws n, n¹, the play of the arm H¹ may be regulated.
this lever His mounted on the upright rod I in such manner as to turn
freely thereon. I is a conical plug, which is also divided into three parts,
and the two screws placed above this conical plug J is intended to regulate
the closing of the arm H' in such manner that it may work steadily,
without shaking the different parts. To this arm H is affixed the cutting
instrument holder, intended to cut the leather. By this arrangement of the
two arm working upon the double centres of rotation, placed at a distance as
indicated in the Figures 11 and 14, I obtain the two necessary points to be
had in cutting bottles or necked vessels, by causing the cutter instrument to
pass through the neck. The grooved cylinders O and P are employed for the
same purpose as those described in the previous Drawings, viz, for carrying
forward the leather in proportion as it is split. The upper cylinder O is
mounted in a frame Q, as shewn in Figure 13, which is joined in its centre to
By means of the
The other end of

page_text: the lever S by means of the arms of the lever S; the object of this arrange-
ment is, that the roller O should press equally upon the leather placed between
it and the roller P. The lever S moves upon the shaft T in such manner that
when raised it pushes away the lever u, and in rising vertically carries with it
the roller o. The roller O may be caused to press upon the roller P more or
less as required, by means of the lever U and the screw V, as will be under-
stood by examining the Drawings. The levor and the roller O are so
arranged that when a piece of leather has been cut through, it may be easily
removed and another piece substituted for it. W is a support on which rests
the axis of the roller P, the ends of which are connected to another support X,
which is fixed by screws to the horizontal framing of the machine. The holes
through which the screws pass are lengthened cross ways, in in order that they
and the rollers may be carried back or brought forward as required, which they
have to do according to the length of the leather, and to place the cylinder or
roller at the suitable distance from the cutter. A sliding piece keeps these
supports and the cylinder or roller T in their parrallel position when they are
moved, then the 'cylinder or roller o is brought back into the perpendicular
plan of the first means of two screws, which close the lever S upon the shaft T.
To regulate the cut of the cutter K in the middle of the thickness of the
leather to be split, the roller P is to be raised or lowered by screws R, by
which means the supports will be raised or lowered. The grooves in the
roller O and made around it, and the grooves in the roller P, are made length-
wise. Motion is communicated to the roller P in the following manner :-
At each movement of the handle or button I', the finger Y is caused to push
against the lever Z, which, by a catch attached to it, act against and turns the
ratchet wheel (1) one or more teeth, and which catch will be brought back to
its position by a spring; on the axis of the wheel (1) is a pinion 2, which takes
into and drives the wheel (3); on the axes of the wheel (3) is a pinion (4),
which takes into and drives a bevilled wheel (5) placed upon the axes of the
roller P, by which movement is communicated to it, and by which the leather
as it is cut is drawn under and the cutter; on the axes of the roller P are two
pinions (6) and (7), which take into a rack (8) and (9), an: cause this rack
to advance in proportion as the roller turns, and these racks move at the same
speed as the leather, but in an opposite direction. The roller O turns with the
same speed as the roller P, there being on the axis of the roller P a wheel (7),
which takes into a wheel of the same diameter on the axis of the roller O. At
the ends of these racks, opposite to the cylinders, is a piece or mould (10), the
interior form of which determines the form of the opening in the leather. In
the Drawings the frame or mould (10) is calculated to form the interior of a
l of the shane shown in the Figure 12 by dotted lines (11) (11).

page_text: In the Drawing No. 8, the red circular lines have served to determine this
form. The form of the piece (10) may be varied to any other that it may be
desired to give to the vessel or bottle being cut, or the piece (10) determines as
follows the form of the section of the leather:-The two racks being mounted
in sliding frames, and the piece (10) being fixed thereon, should be brought
back into the position which it occupies in the Drawings each time that you
would commence to cut a new vessel. To do this the catch (12) should be
released, and the wheel (3) turned with the hand, when the fresh piece of
leather may be placed between the rollers O and P, and then closed sufficiently
by means of the lever u and the screw V. The mode of working the machine
will be as follows:-The parts being arranged as described, the workman with
his hand moves the handle I', which describes the arc of a circle. The end of
the rod I is pushed down and comes on a level with the under part of the
frame (10), in order that the arms H, H', shall be regulated in their course by
that piece. The handle I' is pushed then first to the right and then to the left
until it will come in contact with the mould (10), and as this mould (10) is drawn
by the racks, and it advances at each movement of the handle I¹, the arcs de-
scribed by the rod I increase or decrease according to the successive positions of
the mould (10), and when this piece arrives at the end of its course, and the
workman can no longer give the to and fro motion to the handle I, the cutting
of the piece of leather is finished, and it may be removed and another piece placed
there; but, before doing so, the rack and the piece (10) are to be brought back
to their original position. The cylindrical form of the cylinders o and P, between
which the leather is drived in this machine as in the precedent, may be varied
when the thickness of the leather must not live the same on the whole breadth
of the split, as in the case, for example, of the splitting of a band of leather for
forming shoes. Then one of the cylinders is lightly swelled about in medium,
and the other cylinder receives a suitable depression. This same machine
allows of splitting entirely a shoe by varying suitably the mould (10). A first
split forms the before part with a portion of the lateral edges; a second split in
the opposite side gives the heel of the shoe with the overplus of the lateral
edges. We may also split only on this same machine the before part of the
shoe, and afterwards we may form the latter part and the sides by means of a
ruff or notched disk, disposed on a rotatory axis. A depression given by
strength to the band of leather designes the sole of the heel; the ruff is let
down on this depression, and splits entirely round in the suitable breadth the
leather that forms by being raised the sides and the back of the shoe.
We will now describe the Drawings No. 4, which represents another
machine for splitting leather without sewing or gluing. In these Drawings,
Figure 15 shews a plan, and Figure 16 an elevation of the machinery. A is

page_text: the framing of the machine; B are the uprights which support the table or
framing A, and which are screwed thereto, and tied together by means of the
cross piece C. The part of the machine where the leather is placed, and which
causes it to advance as it is cut, which are marked on these Drawings, (for the
rollers D, D', the lever E, the frame F, the support G, and the hinged piece H,)
are the same in their operations as those before described of the other machines.
The lower roller is grooved lengthways and the upper one across its surface.
Motion is transmitted to this machine by a strap on the pulley I, which turns
the shaft J. On this shaft J is a worm wheel which takes into and drives and
toothed wheel L, on the axis of which is another worm or screw M, which takes
into and drives the wheel N, on the axis of which wheel N is a bevilled
wheel o, which takes into and drives another wheel O' placed upon the axis of
a cylinder or roller D, and which communicates motion to the roller D, as will
readily be understood by examining the Drawings. On the other end of the
axis of the roller D is a pinion, which takes into and drives a pinion on the
axis of the roller D', which communicates movement thereto. The shaft J
also, by means of the excentric P and the connecting link Q, communicates the
to and fro movement of the cutting instrument carrier R, which (at the
opposite end to where the cutting instrument is fixed) moves in bearings at f;
a conical piece T in three parts, and a washer u, suitably closed by a double
collar, allowing the carrier R to slide lengthways and to turn upon the pin S,
at the same time that it follows the two levers Q and V. The instrument
carrier passes through the guides W and X, there being only space to allow
of its passing along, it being the object of so arranging these guides that there
should not be room for any play of the carrier; the rod V being joined at one
part of it to the guide ✗, and the other to the carrier R, causes the cutter Z
in moving to follow a line straight and parallel to the rollers D, D¹, which hold
and cause the leather to advance as it is cut. The object of so arranging this
machine is to give to the cutter a capability of acting on either a large or
small course; but it is very desirable to have the capability of changing the
course of the cutter during the operation of the machine, so as to vary it
according to the object to be cut. The following arrangement of parts is
intended to produce that effect. P is an excentric plate fixed upon the upright
shaft J; on this plate P are two guides (1) and (2); (3) is a frame or carriage;
(4) (4) are pressing screws; (5) is a connecting link; (6) is a screw; (7) is
a plate in the form of a star; (8) is a spring. The carriage or slide (3) slides
between the guides 1 and 2 fixed to the plate P; the pressing screws 4 serve
to adjust the guides 1 and 2 on the plate P. The screw (6) carries two
shoulders between which the shaft or bearings (9) is fixed to
the frame (3) is nut (10), through which the screw passes.
the plate P. On
By this a
arrange-

page_text: ment of parts all that is necessary is to turn the screw to the right or to the
left, which will cause the crank pin (5) to approach or recede, and consequently
to give a greater or less course to the cutter. The wheel (7) is fixed to the end
of the screw (6), and the spring (8) presses against it in such manner as to
enter between two teeth. The lever (11) and (12) are intended to move the
wheel (7) to the right or to the left; the levers (11) and (12) move on pin
joints at a and b. If the handles of these levers c and d are pushed or drawn
it will cause the screw pins e and f to recede from or approach near the plate P.
The pine is placed at such a suitable height that the wheel (7) in its rotation
with the plate P strikes against it with its lower tooth and turns a sixth of a
revolution in one direction; the other pin f is placed in such a position that
the wheel (7) in its rotation with the plate P should strike against one of the
upper teeth of the wheel, and so turn it the sixth of a revolution in the opposite
direction. In the Drawing the plate is supposed to turn in the direction of
the arrows. If the wheel (7) comes in contact with the pin e, it will cause the
screw (6) to turn to the right, and if it meet the pin fit will turn it to the left.
In the former the excentric movement given to the connecting link (5) will
diminish the course of action of the cutting instrument, and in the latter it will
increase it, and therefore as it is required to have the course of the cutter more
or less extended, it will only be necessary by moving the handles of the
levers c and d to bring either the pin e or f in contact with the wheel (7);
thus, for example, if it be the pin e which is only employed, then the cutter =
will be diminished in its course, and also the cut in the leather become narrower,
and the reverse will be the case if only the pin f be brought into operation;
but if neither of the pins be brought into action, then the cut will continue of
one size throughout. When it is required to change all at once from cutting a
large width to a small one, it will only be necessary to put of gear the wheel
which transmits the movement to the cylinders or rollers D, so as to prevent
their movement, and then to continuously bring the pine into contact with the
wheel (7) until the cutting instrument is brought into the desired course, when
the rollers are again set in motion, the pine being removed from its contact
with the wheel (7). The reverse effect will be produced by acting upon the pin f.
The character of this machine is the capability of obtaining different sizes of
slits or cuts in a piece of leather without the necessity of stopping the machine.
Besides the arrangement of machinery I have described for producing slits
or cuts in the thickness of bands of leather, another plan may be employed,
which consists of the use of a cutter, being suitably adjusted so as to be forced
into the thickness of the band; but this is only applicable for cutting cylinders
for spiuning purposes and other objects, where the cut is required to be
short and straight; in which case the cutting instrument carrier should be

page_text: placed in the same plane as the leather to be cut, and the cutter may either be
made to move and the leather kept fixed, or the reserve. In the former case
the leather to be cut is to be firmly fixed by the sides, and the cutter will be
caused to advance by a screw or by any suitable means; in the latter case
the cutter will be fixed and the leather caused to move between two rollers
placed in front of and a little distance from the cutter. The mode of introducing
the cutter into the leather may be by a continuous pressure, or it may be by
an intermittent action, by a slight oscillatory movement, either vertical or
horizontal. The form of the cutter may be varied. We prefer that it should
be pointed somewhat in the form of a lancet, or the edges of it may be made
serrated, but we do not limit ourselves to any particular form. And although
we would remark that we have mentioned that we prefer, before commencing
to cut the leather, to have it thoroughly saturated or moistened, yet
it may
cut in a dry state, although not with such great advantage. When the leather has
been cut to the extent required according to the purpose for which it is intended,
a mandril or internal shaper is to be inserted into it of the form required; and
when in that state it may be submitted to pressure, or it may be ornamented or
varnished according to the purpose for which it is intended; in some cases, such
for instance as cylinders for spinning and other purposes, the surfaces may be
polished.
be
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves
to the precise details so long as the character of the Invention be retained; but
what we claim is the modes of combinning machinery for forming hollow or
tubular articles in leather without sewing or glueing the sides as herein
described.
In withness whereof, we, the said Francois Durand and Onesiphore
Pecqueur, have hereunto set our hand and seal, this Third day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.
FRANCOIS (L.B.) DURAND.
Taken and acknowledged by Francois
Durand and Onésiphore
and Onésiphore Pecqueur
(parties hereto), at Paris, in the King-
dom of France, this 3rd day of April,
ONESIPHORE (LS) PECQUEUR

page_text: This is the Specification referred to in the affidavit of William Henry
Ritchie, sworn before me this 10th day of April 1847, before me,
W. HORNE.
William Henry Ritchie, of Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, maketh oath and saith, that he is acquainted with the manner
and character of the handwriting of Thomas Pickford, Her Britannic
Majesty's Consul at Paris, in the Kingdom of France. And this Deponent
further saith, that the signature "Thomas Pickford," set, subscribed, and
written in the margin of the Specification hereunto annexed, marked A, and 1
dated the Third day of April instant, and purporting to be executed by Francois
Durand and Onésiphore Pecqueur, both of Paris aforesaid, Engineers, whereby
it is stated that the said Specification was acknowledged by them, the said
Francois Durand and Onésiphore Pecqueur, before the said Thomas Pickford,
on the said Third day of April, at Paris aforesaid, is of the proper handwriting
of the said Thomas Pickford.