AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SCOURING, FLESHING, CLEANING, AND OTHERWISE TREATING HIDES AND SKINS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR SCOURING, FLESHING, CLEANING, AND OTHERWISE TREATING
HIDES AND SKINS."-A communication from abroad by Carl Rose, of the City,
County, and State of New York, United States of America.
aled the 9th June 1876, and dated the 3rd January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd January 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SCOURING, FLESHING, CLEANING,
AND OTHERWISE TREATING HIDES AND SKINS."
This Invention relates to an improved machine for scouring, fleshing, and cleaning
hides preparatory and subsequent to the tanning process, for removing impurities
from the flesh side of the hides, "breaking" the hides to facilitate the tanning
process, removing the hair when desired, and rubbing or pressing them after
liming to express the surplus lime used in the process of tanning.
The Invention consists principally in the employment of a rotatory bed for the
hide to be scoured or rubbed in place of the stationary beds heretofore used.
The Invention consists also in improvements in the arrangement of the pendulum
frame in which the scouring roller is suspended, and in an improved steel scouring
brush, all as hereafter more fully described.
The rotary bed consists of a drum hung horizontally in front of a fixed table at
which the operator stands and adjusts and holds the hides, the table being between
the drum and the operator. The drum is of a length sufficient to receive that
portion of the hide which is to be acted upon at one time, and made of suitable
material. Its circumference may, if desired, be rendered more or less elastic by a
covering of rubber or equivalent substance or fabric. A pendulum frame is
suspended by a horizontal shaft from the ceiling or upper part of the machine
frame, carrying at its lower part a shaft upon which the scouring roller is mounted.
The overhead shaft receives rotary motion by suitable. means, and transmits its
motion by a belt or otherwise to the roller shaft, but motion may be otherwise
imparted to said shaft. The position of the overhead shaft and the length of the
[Price 6d1

page_text: pendulum frame are such that the weight of said frame will tend to hold the scouring
roller in contact with the drum. If the two are thus in contact directly or in-
directly, i.e., with a hide intervening, the drum will be turned by the scouring roller.
The lower part of the pendulum frame is by a series of jointed levers connected with
a treadle so that by stepping on said treadle, or should it be omitted by pulling on
one of the levers, the scouring roller will be tightly drawn against the drum. The
pendulum frame may also be connected with the machine frame by a toggle joint, but
not necessarily so, said connection being only desirable in case the pendulum frame
is too light to remain steady.
For scouring a hide on the flesh side the roller is fitted with a series of flat steel
blades or strips, which are preferably arranged in tufts, and set in the body of the
roller so as to constitute a brushing'surface, which will effectually remove the flesh
and impurities from the hide without scratching or tearing the same, and also
break" the hide to render it properly susceptible for the tanning process to which
it is subsequently exposed.
"
For removing the hair or treating the flesh side of very fine skin I propose to
use a brush of whalebone or similar material set into the roller, or to set rubber
blades into the periphery of the_roller.
For various purposes metallic scraping rollers, or rollers with stone rubbers, may
be placed on the pendulum frame to act on the hide which is placed on the drum.
The style of rollers last named will be especially useful for sleeking the hide after
it comes out of the vat and expressing the surplus lime.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
June 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SCOURING, FLESHING, CLEANING,
AND OTHERWISE TREATING HIDES AND SKINS." A communication to me from abroad
by Carl Rose, of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America.
This Invention relates to a new machine for scouring, fleshing, and cleaning
hides preparatory and subsequent to the tanning process, for removing impurities
from the flesh side of the hides, "breaking" the hides to facilitate the tanning
process, removing the hair when desired, and rubbing or pressing them after liming
to express the surplus lime used in the process of tanning.
The Invention consists principally in the employment of a rotary bed for the
hide to be scoured or rubbed in place of the stationary beds heretofore used.
The Invention consists also in improvements in the arrangement of the pendulum
frame in which the scouring roller is suspended, and in an improved steel scouring
brush, all as herein-after more fully described:
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved scouring and cleaning machine;
Figure 2 is a side elevation, and Figure 3 is a top view, partly in section, of the

page_text: of the machine, of which the upper part may be formed by the ceiling of the room
in which the machine is set up; B is a fixed table at which the operator stands, and
adjusts and holds the hides; C is a drum hung horizontally or nearly so directly in
front of the table so that the latter is between the drum and the operator. The
drum is of a length sufficient to receive that portion of the hide which is to be acted
upon at one time, and is made of suitable material. Its circumference may, if
desired, be rendered more or less elastic by a covering of rubber or equivalent
substance or fabric. D is a pendulum frame suspended by a horizontal shaft E
from the ceiling or upper part of the frame A, and carrying at its lower part a
shaft F upon which the scouring roller G is mounted. The shaft E has its bearings
in suitable brackets a, a, and receives rotary motion by suitable means, and
transmits its motion by a belt b, or otherwise, to the shaft F and roller G, but
motion may be imparted to the shaft F otherwise than from the shaft E. The axis
of the shaft E is almost vertically above that of the drum C, as shown in Figure 2,
and the length of the frame D such that its weight will tend to hold the roller G
in contact with the drum C. If the two are thus in contact directly or indirectly,
i.e., with a hide intervening, the drum C will be turned by the roller G. The
lower part of the frame D is by a series of jointed levers d, e, f, and g connected
with a treadle h in such manner that by stepping on said treadle, or should it be
omitted by pulling on the lever g, the roller G will be tightly drawn against the
drum C. By a toggle joint d, i, the frame D may also be connected with the
frame A, as shown, but not necessarily so, said connection being only desirable in
case the frame D is too light to remain steady.
The roller G is for scouring a hide on the flesh side fitted with a series of flat
steel blades or strips j, j, which are preferably arranged in tufts, and set in the
body of the roller with their flat sides parallel to the axis thereof, so as to con-
stitute a brushing surface which will effectually remove the flesh and impurities
from the hide without scratching or tearing the same, and also "break" the hide
to render it properly susceptible for the tanning process to which it is subsequently
exposed.
For removing the hair or treating the flesh side of very fine skin I propose to use
a brush of whalebone or similar material set into the roller G, or to set rubber
blades into the periphery of the roller.
For various purposes metallic rollers of the style represented in Figures 4 and 5,
or rollers with stone rubbers K, K, like those represented in Figures 6 and 7, may
be placed in the frame D to act on the hide which is placed on the drum C. The.
style of rollers last named will be especially useful for sleeking the hide after it
comes out of the vat and expressing the surplus lime.
In operation the hide is placed over the table B and drum C, and the roller G
thereupon brought against it to effect it in the desired manner, the frictional
contact with said roller serving to feed the hide on and with the drum C which is
turned by such friction in the direction of the arrow indicated in Figure 2. For
greater effect the hide may after it has been fed nearly past the roller G be pulled
back by the operator against the direction of rotation of the roller, in which case
the drum will follow the motion which is imparted to the hide. A concave bed
may be used under the roller D and behind the drum C, and made vertically
adjustable or altogether stationary. Such additional bed would give increased
surface to the roller D to work upon.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The combination of the rotary bed C with the pendulum frame D and
scouring roller G, substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd. The pendulum frame D carrying the scouring roller and combined with
the system of levers d, e, f, g, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown
and described.

page_text: 3rd. The rotary scouring brush G provided with series or tufts of elastic sheet
strips j, j, set with their faces parallel to the axis of the roller, substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.