IM- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SCOURING, AND SQUEEZING LEATHER OR OTHED SIMILAR CHROMAXTON
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hossell, of Regent Road, Salford, in the
County of Lancaster, Leather Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SCOURING, AND
SQUEEZING LEATHER OR OTHED SIMILAR CHROMAXTON"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hossell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
February 1854.
I, JOHN HOSSELL, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SCOURING, AND
SQUEEZING LEATHER OR OTHER SIMILAR SUBSTANCES" to be as follows:-
Instead of the usual method of washing, scouring, wringing, or squeezing
the oil or other extraneous matter from leather or other similar substances, I
propose to pass the goods to be cleansed into a cylinder or barrel (containing
any suitable solution) revolving on its axes, similar to a churn, with any
number of flappers or washers affixed to the inner surface thereof, the said
flappers or washers being for the purpose of thoroughly soaking and washing
the skins or substances operated upon. The said skins or substances are then

page_text: removed from the barrel or cylinder, and passed through or between two rollers
supported on their axes in the ordinary manner, motion being communicated
thereto by cog wheels, pinions, and pulleys, and worked by steam or other
motive power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hossell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HOSSELL, of Regent Road, Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Leather
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date.the Eifteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Hossell, Her special licence that I, the said John Hossell,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Hossell, 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 WASHING, SCOURING, AND SQUEEZING LEATHER OR OTHER SIMILAR
SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Hossell,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and scal, should particularly 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 Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hossell, do, hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
(that is to say) :-
My Invention consists of an improved method of cleaning or scouring hides
or skins after being prepared in oil, leather, or tanning, so as to extract all the
greasy or extraneous matter from them, and then to squeeze or dry them. And

page_text: instead of the usual method of washing or scouring, and wringing or squeezing
them by hand, I put the goods to be scoured into a barrel or cylinder con-
taining hot water inixed with potash, pearlash, or any suitable solution. I fix
this barrel or cylinder on bearers, so that it will revolve on its axes, and inside
of it I fix any convenient number of flaps or washers, so that as the vessel
revolves, the goods inside will be dashed against the flaps and be thoroughly
cleansed in a very short time. This vessel may be turned either by hand or
power. After the goods are thus cleansed I take them out. of the vessel
and pass them through a pair of rollers one skin after another, by which process
they are squeezed or dried, instead of the usual method of wringing them by
hand, by which they were often torn or damaged. These improvements will
be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in
which the same letters of reference are used to represent the same parts in all
the Figures. Fig. 1 is an end view of the barrel or cylinder; Fig. 2 is a
front view of the same; Fig 3 is an end elevation of my machine or apparatus
for squeezing or drying the goods after being washed; Fig. 4 is a front eleva-
tion of the same; and Fig. 5 is an end view, shewing that by additional
gearing any size of rollers or cylinders can be used. a represents the standards
or frames which support the washing cylinder or barrel b, fixed on the shaft c,
which is furnished with the fast and loose pulley d. The dotted circle shews
the aperture through which the goods are put into the vessel, and the other
circle shews the plate or cover, which is made fast by the arm e. f are the
flaps or washers; g represents the main side frames of the machine or apparatus
for squeezing or drying the goods; h, the box or trough where the wet goods
are placed, as taken out of the washing cylinder; i, the rollers or cylinders
through or between which they pass, and are thus squeezed and dried. In the
frames g are the fulcrums k on which the levers / turn. At the ends of the
said levers are the connecting rods m attached to the other levers n, having
their fulcrums in the side frames at o. In the levers are the adjusting screws
p, resting on the blocks 9, placed on the spindle or shaft of the upper roller. It
will be seen that by this arrangement a very powerful pressure can be exerted
upon the material passing through or between the rollers.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to
the exact details herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without
departing from the principle thereof. But I claim as of my Invention, and
which to the best of my knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used
within this realm,―

page_text: Firstly, the method of washing and scouring hides, skins, or leather. : 1
And, secondly, the method of squeezing or drying them, as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hossell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named John Hossell in the
presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
JOHN HOSSELL. (L.S.)
Patent Agent,
Manchester.