Improvements in or relating to Machines for Removing Bristles or Unhairing Pelts or Fur Skins.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 8th Oct.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Machines for Removing Bristles or
Unhairing Pelts or Fur Skins.
I, REGINALD HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co., of 18, Bucking-
ham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by Eugene Leveque, of.
121, Boulevard de Waterloo, Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manager,
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The machines hitherto used for pulling the bristles of dyed or raw skins do
not generally allow of the continuous treatment of unshaved skins; the skin
must generally undergo preparation in a skiving or shaving machine; such
machines also do not generally unhair the skins in a sufficiently perfect manner;
most of them work either by pulling out the hairs or by cutting and it is easy
to see that by the latter method one cannot take the long hair off at a level with
the surface of the skin. Furs thus treated have therefore not the softness to the
touch which it is desirable to obtain.
This invention relates to mechanical means for unhairing skins and adapted
for treating indifferently in a continuous manner unshaved and shaved skins,
the unhairing being perfectly performed by the combustion of the hard and
stiff hair down to the level of the skin.
In the annexed drawing-Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2
is an end elevation of a half of the machine. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4
is a side view in elevation of an important part of the mechanism on a larger
scale. Fig. 4 shows a detail. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 show diagrams of the
operations of the machine applied to treating an unhaired hide.
The machine comprises a framing J on which is mounted an endless feeding
apron A passing on the one side over a large cylinder P intended to give move-
ment to this feeding apron and on the other side over a smaller roller B.
Parallel to this smaller roller there is arranged a large cylinder G provided
on one part with brushes H and on the other part with Bunsen gas burners b.
This cylinder G is mounted upon an axle a operated by means of an endless
chain Z put into movement from the driving shaft a¹ of the machine. On the
arbor a of the cylinder G are keyed on one side the three cams K N Y of which
the two cams K N are repeated also on the other side of the machine.
One cam K operates upon a levert which it lifts and lowers alternately in
order to displace vertically in a guide R carried by a bracket S fixed on the
framing of the machine, a rod I provided on one of its ends with a pulley p.
The cam N operates a lever M and effects alternately the recoil and the advancing
of this lever operating equally on the aforesaid rod I and causing consequently
the horizontal displacement of this rod in a slide of the lever k; during this
movement the guide R turns round its axle on the bracket S. During this
movement also the pulley p mounted on the rod I is brought into contact with
Paine 8di

page_text: another pulley O operated by a driving arbor a¹ by means of pulleys o oll and
a crossed belt and is thus put into rotation. The third cam Y operates by a
roller y upon a rod T and causes the advancing of this rod the recoil of which
is operated by means of a springs attached to a protection of the framing J.
When the third cam Y pulls the roller y and the rod T forwards, the latter
fixed by a roller in a slide R¹ turning freely on the axle of the cylinder P
causes an angular displacement of this slide R₁ and consequently of a toothed
pinion U mounted on an axle V provided with an endless screw W gearing
with a toothed pinion mounted on the axle of the cylinder P. The toothed
pinion U by its displacement is removed from a pawl and the rod V and the
endless screw W pull the toothed pinion X back which operates consequently
by this movement the feed apron A which undergoes a similar recoil movement.
When the friction roller y meets however the small radius of the cam Y
the rod T is pulled back by the spring s. It effects consequently the displace-
ment in inverse direction of the slide R¹ of the gearing U. The latter on such
displacement is retained by the pawl and consequently obliged to turn for one
tooth, its movement being transmitted by the endless screw W to the pinion X
effects consequently the revolution of the cylinder P and a forward movement
of the feed apron A, a movement which surpasses the previous movement of
recoil for an amount corresponding to the rotation of the gearing U.
The machine possesses also a square rod D arranged near the smaller roller B
over the feed apron. This rod carries a series of springs C pressing on the
feeding apron A about at the place where it passes over the smaller roller B
the pressure of these springs upon the feeding apron is regulated by means of
a lever E mounted at the end of the square rod 1) and on which operates a ten-
sion spring F. The position of this spring can be easily modified by means
of an angular lever E pivoted on an axle a² and ending in an operating handle.
This arrangement is mounted on one of the sides of the machine see Figs. 3
and 4.
The machine thus constructed operates in the following manner;
The skins from which the long hairs are to be removed are fixed on the
feeding apron A, one after another, the hair lying backwards. (Fig. 5).
The machine having been put into movement one of the hides arrives at the
extremity of the feeding apron A over the smaller roller B.
The third cam Y leaves at this moment the roller y (Fig. 4) and the spring s
operating as before described effects a predetermined advance of the feeding
apron A. The hide passing thus under the spring plates C a certain part of
the hair previously held backwards by the pressure of these springs escapes (as
shown in Fig. 5) and is presented to the action of the brush H of the cylinder G.
The threaded rod I is at this moment lifted in the slide R by the action of the
first cam K. The brush H moving in the direction of the arrows Fig. 5 brushes
all the hairs down which were able to escape the pression of the springs C. At
the moment when the brush H has nearly finished its action and the hairs
are therefore retained on one side by the springs C and on the other side directed
in contrary direction (Fig. 6) the first cam K lets the lever k again descend
which pulls the threaded rod I downwards which replaces the action of the
brush H and maintains the hair in this position (Fig. 6). The second cam N
entering into operation at this moment, pushes the lever M back and conse-
quently the rod I under the apron roller B (Fig. 7). By means of this move-
ment the two pulleys 20 come into contact with one another and the threaded
rod I is put into a rapid revolution. This rod L causes then a peculiar action.
The hairs which it maintains directed towards against the circumference of the
roller B are of two different natures, one part being short and silky, the others
relatively longer harder and more resistant; these latter (the bristles) are those
which have to be moved. The rod I when turning cannot act on the soft or
fur hair it maintains them simply pressed against the feeding apron A; the
long and hard hairs constituting the bristles are on the contrary carried along

page_text: precisely in consequence of their stiffness in the threads of the rod (see Fig. 8)
and laid obliquely; they undergo thus an apparent and as will be seen herein-
after momentary shortening.
At the moment when they are thus laid obliquely by means of the screw threads
of the rod I and consequently engaged between this screw and the feeding"
apron for a length less than the fur hairs, the roller y and consequently the
lever Tare pulled forward by the third cam Y; there is thus produced a sudden
recoil of the feeding apron, A which when the machine is well regulated is equal
to a predetermined fraction of the previous advance of the feeding apron. In
this recoil movement the fur hairs of which the length pressed between the rod I
and the feeding apron A is greater than the recoil of the apron are maintained
by the rod and remain between this rod and the feeding apron; the bristles
on the contrary which, in consequence of their momentary shortening are com-
paratively to the fur hairs, less engaged between this rod and the feeding apron
undergo a backward movement sufficient to disengage them from the threads
of the rod whence they escape in order to stand again upright by means of
their own stiffness (see Fig. 9). Whilst these different mechanical movements
were made the cylinder G has continued its rotary movement, so that it presents
to the upright standing bristles isolated from the soft fur hairs, the part of its
circumference provided with small Bunsen burners. These burn these hairs
without being able to reach the soft fur hairs retained on one side under the
springs C and on the other side under the rod I. When the bristles have thus
been burned along a line equal to the width of the skin the roller leaves again
the third cam Y, the spring s pulls the lever T back and the feeding apron A
receives consequently a further advancing movement which results in repre-
senting to the action of the brush H a certain quantity of hair escaped from
the pressure of the springs C and so on. When one skin is completely treated
it goes on with the feeding apron until it reappears in front of the machine;
it is then replaced by another skin without interrupting for this purpose the
operation of the machine which may run continuously.
As it is easy to understand it is essentially by means of the use of the threaded
rod I that one can treat the unshaved skins, the threads of this rod having
especially the purpose of momentarily overcoming the inequality of length of
the hairs; also one might without any inconvenience use a smooth rod, if one
had to work previously shaved hides. It is besides evident that one might use
different threads according to the nature of the hide to be treated and the pro-
portionate length of its hairs.
One can equally regulate the position of the springs C which according to the
relative length of the hairs of the hides to be treated can press more or less on
the roller B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
:~
1. A machine for operating in a continuous manner the removal of bristles
from pelts used for skins in general and especially unshaved skins, in which
an endless apron A passing over appropriate rollers (P & B) receives a deter-
mined movement of advance and a determined movement of recoil,
the latter being a determined fraction of the former, the advancing
movement causing the disengagement of a certain quantity of hairs
or fur from springs C which hold them down in a determined position and
causing them to be presented to a brush (H) turning them down into the opposite
position, where they are then held by a threaded rod to which a rotary movement
is given by which the bristles are moved obliquely to disengage the bristles only
from the rod on the recoil movement so that the bristles may be submitted to
burners on the cylinder carrying the brush (H).

page_text: 2. In the machine described in Claim 1 the means for giving alternate advance
& recoil to the apron the latter being a predetermined fraction of the former
consisting in the rod T with withdrawal springs and a cam Y on the axle a
of the brush drum G and operating on a slide R¹ movable round an axle and
to which is fixed a rod v provided with a gear wheel U and endless screw W
engaging a toothed pinion X on the axle of the drum P over which the apron
passes, so that, first, the spring s drawing back the rod T displaces the slide R¹
the rod the endless screw W and gear wheel V which latter meets a pawl v
and turns moving the endless screw W of which the rotary movement displaces
the pinion X and thus advances the apron; and, second the cam X draws forward
the rod T and moves in the reverse direction the rod V and the endless screw W
which draws the pinion X back and draws back the apron.
3. In the machine above claimed and in order to give to the rod I the
necessary movement, the mechanism comprising the cams K and N on the
shaft a of brush cylinder G, one of these cams K acting in a lever K to cause
the descent of rod I in a guide R, the other cam N bringing the rod I to the
roller B in which the apron passes and bringing into contact with the pulley O,
a pulley mounted at the extremity of rod I the tracks in said cams K N being
calculated to give the rod I the following movements in succession: a) descent
before the roller B, 6) recoil under the roller, c) retreat to the front of the
roller B, return to the first position before and above the roller B.
4. In the machine above claimed and in order to permit the regulation of the
springs C acting on the fur or hairs of the pelt, the mounting of the rod carry-
ing these springs on an articulated lever E' and the provision of a second lever E
under the action of a spring with adjustable tension.
Dated this 13th day of August 1898