IMPROVEMENTS IN LEATHER, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATING OF SAME
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALEXANDER JOHNSON of Lord Street, Leigh, in the County of Lancaster,.
Currier, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LEATHER, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATING OF SAME," to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to produce a leather chiefly for the use of shoe-
makers, which can in a dry state, and without the necessity of wetting, be easily
consolidated by the ordinary means, such as hammering or rolling.
The leather is saturated with a dressing of a resinous, and oily substance, and
subsequently treated with water until it has assumed the condition required.
In carrying out the invention I take a leather tanned by the ordinary bark
process, or in such other way as to be capable of absorbing moisture, and saturate
the same with a dressing composed preferably of common resin and tallow in the
proportion of about three parts by weight of the former to 1.25 parts by weight of
the latter, or the dressing may be composed of japan wax and paraffin oil in about
equal proportions, or the dressing may consist wholly of a prepared wax such as
japan wax, Carnauba wax, paraffin wax or bees wax, but I prefer the first named
dressing as being more cheaply prepared. The dressing after being prepared
should be heated until it assumes a semi-liquid consistency, and may then be
applied to the leather by brushing it over the flesh side of the hide, which is then
placed in a chamber or closet at a temperature sufficiently high to maintain the
dressing in its liquid condition and cause its absorption by the leather. The
operation may be repeated as often as is necessary until the discoloration of
the grain shows that the dressing has penetrated the leather. The hide may next
be removed from the heated chamber and when cold is placed in a bath of water
which should be kept at a regulated temperature of sixty degrees Fahrenheit until
thoroughly saturated, after which it is removed, when it can be reset scoured and
colored if desired, and when dry will be ready for use. It will however be found
preferable to scour the leather before the dressing is applied.
Leather prepared in this way will, I consider, have a greater capacity for
resisting wet or damp, and its durability will be greatly increased.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Leather, and in the Manufacture or Treating
of same.
I, ALEXANDER JOHNSON, of Lord Street, Leigh, in the county of Lancaster,
Currier 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:-
The object of this invention is to produce a leather chiefly for the use of shoe-
makers which can in a dry state, and without the necessity of wetting, be easily
consolidated by the ordinary means, such as hammering or rolling.
The leather is saturated with a dressing of a resinous and oily substance, and
subsequently treated with water until it has assumed the condition required.
In carrying out the invention, I take a leather tanned by the ordinary bark
process, or in such other way as to be capable of absorbing moisture, and saturate
it with the dressing.
The composition of the dressing which I prefer is by weight-
Common resin
Tallow
•
-
3 parts
1.25 parts
or it may be composed of Japan wax softened or dissolved in paraffin oil, or it may
consist wholly of a prepared wax, such as Japan wax Carnauba wax, paraffin wax,
or bees wax-The first named dressing is the one I prefer on account of being more
cheaply prepared. The resin and tallow should be gently heated until in a soft or
semi-liquid condition, either separately or together and then well stirred or agitated
until intimately mixed. The dressing when in this condition may be applied to
the leather, or if allowed to set or harden should be heated until it assumes a semi-
liquid consistency before being applied to the leather. The dressing is laid on the
leather in a thin coat or layer by means of a brush roller or other suitable device
and should be applied to the flesh side of the hide. The hide is then placed in a
chamber or closet raised to a gentle temperature sufficiently high to maintain the
dressing in its soft or liquid condition and cause its absorption by the leather. The
operation may be repeated until sufficient of the dressing has been absorbed or
until the leather is saturated or the discolouration of the grain shows that the
dressing has penetrated it. The hide is then removed from the heated chamber, and
when cold is placed in a bath of water which should be kept at a regulated tempo-
rature of eighty degrees Fahrenheit until thoroughly saturated, after which it is
removed, when it can be reset, scoured and coloured if desired, and when dry will
be ready for use. It will however be found preferable to scour the leather before
the dressing is applied.
Leather prepared in this way will, I consider have a greater capacity for resisting
wet or damp and its durability will be greatly increased.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st. A leather for shoemakers' and similar use, which may be easily compressed
while in a dry state consisting of ordinary tanned leather saturated with an oily
resinous preparation, substantially as described.
2nd. The improvement in the manufacture of leather, consisting of treating
a tanned hide capable of absorbing moisture with a dressing or preparation
of a resinous and oily nature, and then with water, substantially as and for the
purposes described.