IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING AND FINISHING LEATHER BY THE PROCESSES KNOWN AS ⚫ LEVANTING,' 'MEMELLING,' 'GLASSING,' 'SKIVEING,' AND 'WHITENING
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Schofield Hodgson, of Wortley, near
Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer's Pattern Maker, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING
AND FINISHING LEATHER BY THE PROCESSES KNOWN AS ⚫ LEVANTING,'
'MEMELLING,' 'GLASSING,' 'SKIVEING,' AND 'WHITENING.'”
Sealed the 10th October 1872, and dated the 7th June 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Schofield
Hodgson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 7th June 1872.
I, WILLIAM SCHOFIELD HODGSON, of Wortley, near Leeds, in the
County of York, Engineer's Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR DRESSING AND FINISHING LEATHER BY THE PROCESSES KNOWN AS
'LEVANTING,' 'MEMELLING,' 'GLASSING,' 'SKIVEING,' AND. WHITENING,'" to be
as follows:-
―
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
dressing and finishing leather by the processes known as "levanting,"

page_text: "memelling," "glassing," "skiveing," and "whitening," and consists
principally in the application and use of an endless belt or band (driven
by suitable gearing) carrying the various appliances necessary for these
purposes and with which the leather is to be treated and passing over or
round two grooved pulleys, one of which revolves in fixed and the other in
adjustable bearings, so that the belt can be always kept distended to the
requisite degree. The appliances are placed in bearings or fixings on the
outer periphery of the belt and secured thereto by screws or bolts, which
pass in the grooves of the pulleys and slide under an extension of the
framing, arranged to keep the belt always parallel to an adjustable table
upon which the leather to be operated upon is placed.
The above
apparatus together with the table and framing can be arranged either
horizontally or inclined (at any angle). In the former arrangement
the table is adjusted by four screws placed one at each corner thereof,
and in the latter by one screw placed at the foot of the machine, the
latter arrangement being preferred on account of the casier adjustment.
In using the machine the workman holds the leather on the table and
directly under the revolving belt, so that the rollers, knives, or other
required appliances (necessary for the above mentioned purposes) upon
it pass over and act upon the leather one immediately after the other,
but not so as to catch the edges or drag it out of the workman's hands.
The leather can be placed so that the glassing or any other of the
appliances can pass nearly over the whole length thereof, thereby
effecting a great saving in time, labor, and cost over the hand or other
labor processes now generally in use for these purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Schofield Hodgson in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 7th December 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SCHOFIELD HODGSON, of Wortley, near Leeds, in the County of York, 3
Engineer's Pattern Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, 3

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said William Schofield Hodgson, Her
special licence that I, the said William Schofield Hodgson, my exc-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Schofield Hodgson 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
) DRESSING AND FINISHING LEATHER BY THE PROCESSES KNOWN AS 'LEVANTING,'
MEMELLING, GLASSING,' SKIVEING,' AND WHITENING,'” upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Schofield Hodgson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
5 and ascertain the nature of my 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 mouths next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
'
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Schofield Hodgson, do
O 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 following statement in writing and on reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in machinery or
5 apparatus for dressing and finishing leather by the processes known
as levanting, memelling, glassing, skiveing, and whitening.
The improved apparatus is illustrated on the accompanying Drawings
in two forms, in Figures 1 and 2 in a horizontal form, and in Figures 3
and 4 in an inclined form, in the latter of which it may be arranged at
Dany suitable angle.
The improvements consist principally in the application and use of
an endless belt or band a carrying the various appliances necessary for
the above-mentioned purposes and with which the leather is to be
treated. The belt a passes round two flanged pulleys b, c, of which the
5 pulley revolves loosely on its shaft e, which is secured by nuts in fixed
bearings, and tends to keep the sides of the framing k firm; the
pulley c is keyed on its shaft g and actuated by gearing driven by the

page_text: pulley on the shaft j. The shafts g and j are carried by a block /
which slides in a groove m in the framing, and is actuated by a screw n
so as to regulate the tension of the belt.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 illustrate the appliances in position. The
fixings d carrying them are made fast to the belt by countersunk set
screws, which pass through both, and secure them thereto at cach side.
The appliances in revolving, gradually get under the face of the
framing (see Figures 1 and 3) on the edges of which they bear,
and which runs parallel to the adjustable table q, and so prevents
the appliances yielding, but causes them to exert equal pressure on
the leather all down the table. The table is made fast to battens r
secured to the table framing & and is provided along its centre with a
strip of lignum vitæ t, which is provided with a fixing u at each end, in
each of which are inserted two pins which pass through india-rubber
springs w, and also through holes in the framing s (see Figures 1, 2,
and 3). Secured underneath the strip is a piece of rubber x which is
fastened by a buckle and strap y to the under part of the framing 8, and
so keeps the strip t in its place and prevents it making a noise while
the machine is in operation. In the inclined form of machine the
framing & slides in a groove in the bed plate z, and in the horizontal
form it slides up an incline 6', but in both is actuated by a hand wheel
and screw a¹, so as to bring the table nearer to or farther from the
framing k for regulating the pressure of the appliances upon the
leather.
Figure 2 represents the mode of securing the dummy roller (used for
the process of levanting) in its fixing or carriage; one end of the
spindle c¹ is turned and slides in a groove j¹ of its fixing, and its other
end which also slides in a similar groove is threaded and provided with
a loose nut e¹ and is further secured by nuts f¹. The roller g³ is secured
on the spindle by the nut h¹.
Figures 5 and 6 represent the mode of securing the memelling or
embossing roller, are two brass fixings which slide in the grooves j¹
and are made fast by a bolt k¹ which is screwed up with a nut.
Figures 7 and 8 represent the mode of securing the glass in its place.
It is fixed in a block of wood m³ having an iron fixing on either side
held by a bolt n³ and made fast to the fixing by a set screw o', the block
is also made to slide in the grooves for holding it still firmer. The
skiveing, whitening, and glassing appliances are all similar saving that

page_text: the two former have a steel blade with a sharpened edge substituted
for the glass .
Figure 2 also illustrates the mode of securing the fixings (carrying
the various appliances) to the belt. p are two countersunk set screws
which pass through the belt and screw into the fixings, and are held
by lock nuts p'. The various appliances are provided with chees-headed
set screws q¹, so that they can be regulated if they get across or at
twist.
In using the machine the workman holds the leather on the table
directly under the travelling belt, so that the appliances upon it
necessary for the desired treatment of the leather pass over and act
upon the same one immediately after the other, as will be readily seen
on reference to Figures 1 and 3, but do not catch the edges of the
leather or drag it out of the workman's hands. The leather can be
placed so that the appliances pass nearly over the whole length thereof,
thereby effecting a great saving in time, labor, and cost over the hand
or other labor processes hitherto in use.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Dressing and Finishing
Leather by the Processes known as Levanting, Memelling, Glassing,
Skiveing, and Whitening," together with the manner in which the same
is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would
remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention,―
The general construction and arrangement (together with the general
construction, combination, and arrangement of the component parts) of
the improved machine for dressing and finishing leather, substantially
as above described and as illustrated on the accompanying Drawings, at
the same time I would remark that what I more particularly claim as
novel features are the employment of the travelling belt passing over
the adjustable pulleys and carrying the various appliances for acting
upon the leather, whereby a continuous forward motion thereof is
obtained, and the leather is more expeditiously dressed and finished.
Also the means of causing the belt and appliances thereon to slide
parallel to the adjustable table so that the leather on the latter is more
evenly treated.
The improved means of adjusting the table so as to regulate the
pressure of the appliances upon the leather thereon.

page_text: The improved means of regulating the tension of the belt.
The peculiar construction of the fixings carrying the appliances which
enables them by sliding down the edges of the framing to resist the
pressure put on by the table, and to act on the leather thereon with
equal pressure at all parts, together with the application of the chees-
headed screws thereto for regulating the position of the appliances.
And the employment of the india-rubber placed under the strip of
lignum vitæ for keeping it in its place and preventing noise and jumping
thereof as the appliances leave it.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Schofield Hodgson, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Third day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
W. S. HODGSON. (L.S.)
Witness,
BRISTOW HUNT,
Solicitor and Patent Agent,
5, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn.