Improvements in or relating to Leather Board, and in Machinery used in the Production of the same.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in or relating to Leather Board, and in Machinery
used in the Production of the same.
I, ARCHIBALD HARRY BALDWIN of Syston Mills, Syston, in the County of
Leicester, Leather Board Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention bas reference to the manufacture of artificial leather or leather
substitutes known to the trade as leather board, and used for stiffeners, middlesoles
and other parts of boots and shoes.
The object of this invention is to produce a leather board, which is more
tenacious and durable in wear and less susceptible to wet than the ordinary leather
board at present known to commerce.
Leather board manufactured according to this invention has incorporated
therewith, in addition to the other usual materials, a certain quantity of buff
leather or similarly dressed hide which imparts to it the improved qualities
hereinbefore mentioned.
On account howevor of the thickness of this kind of leather it becomes necessary
to subject it to special treatment before it is capable of incorporation with the other
ingredients or materials (animal and vegetable fibre) of which the leather board is
composed.
According to this invention the buff or similarly dressed thick bide is first
reduced to small portions and then placed in a cistern or vat supplied with water in
which it is allowed to remain for several hours until it is well soaked.
:
The water may then be drawn off or the leather removed from the vat so as to
allow the superfluous water to drain off.
It is then crushed or reduced to a pulp for which purpose it is subjected to severe
pressure which by preference is effected by passing it between a pair or a series of
revolving rollers whose surfaces are roughened or chequered in such a manner as
to carry the leather forward and not allow it to slip back.
The said rollers are provided with adjustable bearings and set-screws by which
the pressure upon the material passing between them may be regulated and the
chequering upon the rollers may be graduated i.e. the chequering upon each roller,
may be of smaller pattern than the preceding one.
After the leather has passed through the rollers as stated, its fibres are separated
and it leaves the machine in a fibrous pulp, falling into a receptacle placed
underneath to receive it, from whence it is removed and subsequently mixed with
other usual ingredients and treated in the ordinary manner for producing leather
board.'
The invention is not confined to the use of rollers for crushing the leather as
stated as it is obvious that a similar fibrous pulp may be produced by crushing it
under screw, hydraulic or lever pressure.
Dated this 13th day of November 1895:
:
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Leather Board, and in Machinery
used in the Production of the same.
I, ARCHIBALD HARRY BALDWIN of Syston Mills, Syston, in the County of
Leicestor, Leather Board Manufacturer, 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 statemont :-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of artificial leather or leather
substitutes known to the trade as leather board and used for stiffeuors, middlesoles
and other parts of boots and shoes.
The object of the invention is to produce a leather board which is more tenacious
and durable in wear and less susceptible to wet than the ordinary leather board at
presont known to commerce.
Leather board manufactured according to this invention has incorporated
therewith, in addition to the other usual materials, a certain quantity of buff
leather or similarly dressed hide which imparts to it the improved qualities
herein before mentioned.
On account however of the thickness of this kind of leather it becomes necessary
to subject it to special treatment before it is capable of incorporation with the other
ingredients or materials (animal and vegetable) of which the leather board is
composed.
•
According to this invention the buff or similarly dressed hide, which by preference
is in the form of scraps or small pieces, or when otherwise is reduced to such, is
placed in a vat or cistern containing water in which it is allowed to remain in soak
for several hours or until it is thoroughly softened.
The water may then be drawn off or the buff leather removed from the vat and
allowed to drain.
When the superfluous water has passed away the buff leather is then fed between
two powerful rollers revolving in the closest possible contact with each other and
having their faces roughened, fluted or chequered so that the leather is compelled
to travel forward with the action of the rollers and by subjection to severe pressure
is thereby crushed or reduced to a pulpy mass.
After passing through one pair of rollers the partly crushed leather may if
desired pass between a second pair of rollers whose surfaces are fluted or chequered
in an opposite direction to the first pair of rollers the effect of which will be to
crush the fibre or leather in an opposite direction.
These rollers may be driven by gearing and mounted in any suitable bearings,
adjustable by set-screws to regulate the pressure on the material passing between
them as will be readily understood by mechanicians, so as not to need drawings to
illustrate them.
The buff leather after having been subjected to the bereinbefore described
treatment, leaves the machine with its fibres separated and in the form of a fibrous
.pulp.
In this condition it is placed along with other usual ingredients (animal and
vegetable) into a rag engine or disintegrating machine where it is reduced to a
pulp and subsequently formed into sheets by means of an ordinary mill board or
paper making machine in the usual well known manner.
•
The proportion of the buff leather employed varies according to the class or
quality of leather board to be produced, and varies from 1 part in three parts of
the other materials to 1 part in six according to whether a lighter or heavier and
stronger board is required.
I do not however confine myself to the particular proportions named as these may
be varied within any reasonable limits.

page_text: 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. In the manufacture of artificial leather or leather board in which buff leather
or similarly dressed hide is incorporated the use of one or more pairs of revolving
rollers for crushing the said buff leather prior to its being placed in the disintegrating
machine substantially as described.
2. In the manufacture of artificial leather or leather board in which buff leather
or similarly dressed hide is incorporated; the process of preparing the said hide by
first sonking it in water and subsequently crushing its fibres by passing it between
one or more pairs of revolving rollers prior to its being placed in the disintegrating
machine substantially as described.
3. An artificial leather or leather board in which buff leather or similarly dressed
hide is incorporated in the manner and for the purpose described.
4. The improved leather board which comprises among its constituents buff
leather or similarly dressed hide in the proportions substantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of August 1896.
Witness-
E. N. LEWIS,
Berridge Street Chambers,
Leicester.
ARCHIBALD HARRY BALDWIN.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.