AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CUTTING THE HAIR OR FUR FROM SKINS FOR HAT MAKING AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Aschermann, of Paris, France, Manufacturer,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CUTTING THE HAIR OR
FUR FROM SKINS FOR HAT MAKING AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT."
Sealed the 12th June 1868, and dated the 30th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Aschermann at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
December 1867.
I, JOSEPH ASCHERMANN, of Paris, France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CUTTING
THE HAIR OR FUR FROM SKINS FOR HAT MAKING AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
FELT," to be as follows:
The Invention relates to an improved machine for cutting the hair or fur
from skins for hat making and for the manufacture of felt.
In the annexed Drawings Fig. 1 shows a top or plan view of the machine,
part of which represented as cut away; Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal side
elevation view of some of the principal working parts. The same letters of
reference relate to corresponding parts in both Figures.
The machine consists of a suitable frame A for carrying the various working
parts;. B is the main arbor, receiving motion from a steam engine or other
suitable prime mover, and carrying a pinion E in gear with a similar pinion E¹
fixed on, the revolving arbor F, which, latter carries a double grooved pulley Hi
driving the arbor of; a sort of scraper and an excentric sheave H which by

page_text: means of a pawl I¹ and a ratchet wheel I drives two fluted revolving rollers J
and J. The arbor B is further provided with a crank K carrying one end of
a connecting rod L, the other end of which drives a T piece gliding in suitable
slot boles provided in the fixed cross bars or cross stays M and M. To the
T piece is fixed a carrier N for the fur cutter or knife O, which is by preference
circular and fixed on an arbor N¹ revolving in suitable bearings, which arbor N¹
is driven by means of a pinion P in gear with a fixed rack Q, but which
Three
pinion and rack might be replaced by a slide bar and friction cone.
whetstones or glazers G, R, and R₁ serve for keeping the edge of the circular
cutter in good working condition. Underneath the cutter or knife O is
situated a moveable rest U over which pass the skins of which the hair or fur
is to be cut off; this rest may be set at any suitable height by means of set
screws T. V is a revolving arbor driven by the arbor F by means of the
pulleys X, this arbor V is situated underneath the feed board Y, its ends
protruding at both sides of the said board, one of these ends carries the
excentric sheaves Z, which latter act from underneath on the arms G¹ of the
scraper G, and which sheaves in revolving cause the scraper to be alternately
lifted and carried down on the hair or fur of the skin laying on the board Y
and rest U; in falling down the scraper G lays close to or nearly in contact
with the revolving cutter or knife O for keeping the hair or fur and the skin
in position during the time the revolving knife O performs its work, after
which the scraper in receding removes the hair or fur cut off by the. knife;
the scraper is then lifted again and carried forward towards the cutter or knife,
and is then lowered on the skin so as to come nearly in close contact with the
knife, and keeps the fur or hairs and the skin in position for being acted upon
by this latter. One skin after the other is laid on the feed board Y with the
fur or hair uppermost and then carried forward till taken hold of by the fluted
rollers J and J¹, which serve for drawing the skin forward in order to be
submitted to the action of the knife over the entire length of the skin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 30
by the said Joseph Aschermann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ASCHERMANN, of Paris, France, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 35
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her-reign,.
did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Joseph Aschermann, Her special license, that I, the said Joseph Aschermann,...
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or. such others as I, the said Joseph
Aschermann, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should. at any time.
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully. might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for. "AN IMPROVED.
MACHINE FOR CUTTING THE HAIR 02 FUR FROM SKINS FOR HAT MAKING AND FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Joseph Aschermaun, my executors or administrators, by. an instrument.
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause. the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Aschermann, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement
: My Invention relates to a new and improved machine for cutting from.skins
the hair or fur which is used in the manufacture of hats and of felt such as is
used in the inanufacture of hats.
.
"
This machine, represented in the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 and 2 of
which represent side elevations, and Fig. 3 a. plan, is. composed. of two
frames A, A¹, connected together by means of tie pieces; one of these two
frames A carries on a couple of brackets the arbor B to which motion is
imparted by the pulleys C, C', this arbor carries a fly wheel D and a bevelled
pinion E gearing in with a similar pinion keyed upon the extremity of the
revolving arbor F. This arbor is furnished at its other extremity with, 1°;.a
double-grooved pulley, the object of which is to actuate the arbor of a scraper; G
herein-after described; 2°, an eccentric H which actuates, by means of a paw!
and of a ratchet wheel I two fluted rollers J, J. The arbor B is further
provided at its extremity with a crank K which receives the head of a.
connecting rod L, the other extremity of which is furnished with: a T piece
gliding in slides M, M₁; these slides are fixed on the frames and form tie.
pieces: An iron or cast-iron, carrier N of variable shape is fixed on the..
Tpiece and is carried away with it in its course; on this carrier is situated a

page_text: rest for the cutter or knife and its motor, shown in Fig. 4. This cutter or
knife O (Fig. 4) is composed of a disk the diameter of which may be varied,
and it receives its circular and reciprocal motion from a pinion P keyed upon
the same axle and from a rack Q fixed at its extremities on the frames A, A¹,
(the rack and its pinion may be replaced by a slide bar and a friction cone);
the armature of the knife or cutter carries three whetstones or such like
stones, one of these stones R fixed upon a wormed rod adjustable at will by
Jeans of nuts serves to sharpen the outside of the knife or cutter and give it
the requisite inclination, the two other stones R¹ fixed on spring rods sharpen
the knife or cutter on the inside; the cutter or knife is consequently sharpened
in its rotation movement and kept in good working condition. Under this
cutter or knife is a cross piece S fixed by its extremities to the frame A, A¹;
this cross piece carries two screws which by means of the fly wheels T, T¹,
allow of bringing nearer and of regulating a copper rest U over which the
skins pass at the moment they undergo the action of the cutter or knife.
Fig. 5 represents another disposition of the cutter or knife,, which is in this
case stationary in its armature although still carried away in a reciprocal
movement by means of the carrier N fixed on the T piece. The cutter or
knife is here mounted on a grooved piece working on a helical spring, this
spring regulates the pressure of the cutter or knife upon the skins; at each
end of its course the cutter or knife is brought into contact with whetstones
which are fixed upon the table and keep up the sharpness of the edge. The
revolving arbor V, to which motion is imparted by the arbor F by means of
the grooved pulley X, carries two eccentrics Z, Z', on each side of the table or
feed board Y which act upon the levers of the scraper G in the following
manner-As the cutter or knife is carried forward the scraper is applied to
the skin close to the cutter or knife and keeps the said skin in position on the
table or feed board, the cutter or knife then returns, during which. movement
the scraper recedes on the table, carrying away with it the hair or fur which
has been cut off, and then rises to return again and place itself near the cutter
or, knife, as before in order to keep the skin in position; this operation is
repeated after each entire course. From the foregoing description and the
skin being taken by the two fluted cylinders J, J¹, the progress of which is
given and regulated at will by the ratchet, wheel I, it is easy to follow the
operation.
The main advantages of my new cutting machine are,,-
1º. It leaves, no, refuse, whilst the so-called American machines now in use
give from 10 to 20 % of refuse on the hairy produce of the skins cut. This
.difference between the amount of refuse arises from the difference which exists

page_text: between the various sorts of skins, but especially from the degree of skill and
good will of the workman upon whom devolves the duty of feeding and
directing the machine, and moreover from several imperfections inherent to
that system of machine and which cannot be remedied.
20. No special apprenticeship is necessary to be able to feed my new aud
improved machine; any one being able to offer the skin to the feed cylinders,
and the rest being performed by the machine itself automatically.
3°. No refuse or hair dust being made by my machine, the health of the
workmen and work women is no longer endangered.
4°. The increase of hairy produce for the same quantity of skins actually
cut will be considerably augmented when iny improved machine is generally
adopted.
Having thus fully described the nature of the said Invention and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I would have it to be clearly understood that
I do not intend to restrict myself to the exact details above given, as the same
may be modified without departing from the principle of the sail Invention,
but what I claim is a new and improved machine for cutting from skins the
hair or fur wbich is used in the manufacture of bats and of felt such as is used
in the manufacture of hats, substantially as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Aschermann, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
J. ASCHERMANN. (L.S.)