Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 11th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 17th Feb., 1888
I EMIL SCHROEDER, of San Francisco, California, United States of America,
Furrier, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to machines for pulling hairs from the skins or furs of
animals such as the fur seal, and beaver; and it consists in a certain novel construc-
tion and combination of parts and mechanism as hereinafter fully described and in
the production of a machine to take the place of hand labor in that part of the process
or operation of dressing and preparing skins for the furrier in which the upper or
coarser coat of hair is removed from the fur.
The principal part of the mechanismn consists of a revolving stripping pad or finger
having rapid movement in a circle upon a horizontal axis and a fixed plate with a
bevelled or rounded nose or edge set also horizontally over a rollor and beneath the
revolving finger and in such close relation to the path of the finger that as the skin
is drawn along under the plate with the fur side uppermost the ends of the hairs will
be turned up by the nose or edge of the plate and be seized and drawn out by the
other part in its revolutions.
The skin being introduced between the plate or fixed part and the roller has the
ends of its coarse hairs turned up over the edge of the plate and separated from the
fine fur by the plate and the revolving stripper pulls out the hairs lying over the plate
without catching the fur beneath them.
The revolving stripper and the fixed plate are of about equal width.
In connection with these parts there is provided a heating device such as a steam
coil placed under the roller for keeping the skin moist and the coarse hairs loose to
pull easily. There are also means for regulating the distance between the roller and
the fixed plate above it and also means whereby the roller can be set either parallel
with the edge of the plate or at a greater or less angle above or below the horizontal.
The object of providing vertical movement of the roller toward and from the plate
is to regulate the space between them through which the skin is drawn as this space
requires to be varied according to the conditions of the work such as the length of
the hairs and the thickness of the fur; such adjustment can be effected either by
having the roller mounted in vertically adjustable bearings or by providing for a
TD07

page_text: vertical adjustment of the plate or stationary part of the stripper also, so that they can
be set toward or from the roller.
The object of varying the position of the roller from the horizontal is to enable the
shorter as well as the longer hairs to be seized by the revolving stripper at the same
time.
Such adjustment is desirable at times in operating on those portions of a skin near
the short hairs, and where the hairs are of irregular lengths and vary from short
to long.
The acting edge of the revolving stripper is formed of some flexible or suitably
elastic material such as rubber or leather that has sufficient stiffness also to return
to shape each time after passing over the nose or edge of the path.
In working with this machine the skin is stretched in a frame and the hairs are
loosened after the usual manner of pulling by hand; when thus prepared the skin is
run through the machine from tail to head as many times as the size of the skins
calls for.
The 17th J... of Anoount 1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Pulling Hairs from Skins or Furs.
I, EMIL SCHROEDER, of Twenty-seventh and Howard Streets, San Francisco,
California, United States of America, Fur Dresser, 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 statement:-
My Invention relates to machines for pulling hairs from skins or fur animals such
as the fur seal, otter and beaver, to take the place of hand labor in that part of the
art of dressing skins for the furrier in which the upper or coarse coat of hair is removed
from the fur.
My said Invention consists in certain novel construction of revolving stripping
fingers, stationary separating plate with a nose that separates and turns up the ends
of the hairs from the fur in position to be seized by the revolving fingers and a bod-
roller or movable support beneath the separating plate to support and carry the skin
along. In connection with this hair-stripping mechanism my Invention comprises a
self-feeding frame or carriage to feed the stretched skin forward under the separating-
plate, a heating device to keep the skin warm while in the frame to pull easily, and a
suction apparatus to draw off the pulled hairs from the machine. It also comprises
the combination with the pulling mechanism and the bed-roller of means for
regulating these parts to adapt the machine to different kinds and conditions of skins
to be pulled.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to my Invention.
Figures la and 16 represent means for operating the self-feeding frame shown in
longitudinal section in figure 1.
Figure 2 is a plan of the table, self-feeding frame bed-roller and heating coil.
Figure 3 is a view of the stripping mechanismu taken from the front of the machine
figure 1.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are side elevations partly in section of the three parts or devices
that constitute the stripping mechanism, these views being drawn to an enlarged
scale.
Figures 7 and 8 are side and front elevations respectively, also drawn to an enlarged
scale, of a revolving head, having four stripping fingers with rubber springs behind
them in place of the hydrostatic device that is combined with the other construction
of revolving head before represented.
A is the revolving head fixed on a horizontal shaft to which motion is imparted by
a driving pulley and belt from a suitable shaft and pulley overhead. B Bare the
fingers on the head A, and C is the stationary separating-plate under and in closo
relation to the acting ends of the fingers. Beneath the front end portion of the
separating-plate is set the loosely rotating bed-roller E.
In the operation of these parts the skin to be pulled is introduced under the front
end or nose of the separating-plate with the hair side uppermost and the lay of the

page_text: hairs presented against the nose, so that in drawing the skin along between the bed-
roller and the stationary plate the ends of the hairs will be turned up and caused to
lie over the nose of the plate. In this position the ends of the fingers seize and strip
the hairs by impinging against and moving over the edge and top face of the
separating-plate over which the ends of the hairs are lying. The skin is drawn along
in this manner over the roller from tail to head as many times as it takes for the
whole breadth of skin to be pulled; this being determined by the width of the pulling
mechanism and the size of the skin. Before being placed in the machine, the skin to
be pulled is made ready by stretching it in a frame or hoop in the usual way, and the
ends of the coarse hairs are loosened and opened up from the fur.
The construction of the revolving fingers B is shown in figures 3, 4, 7 and 8 of the
drawings. Instead of employing one finger of the full broadth of the soparating-plate,
I prefer to arrange a number of narrow fingers in "step" form or one behind and to
one side of the other to cover the whole breadth of the plate, but to strike it one after
another, as this construction requires less power to operate, yet allows a strong
pressure to be used of the fingers against the top of the separating-plate.
The fingers are pivoted at 62 in lugs a² and are bent at the forward end to stand
upward and outward. Against the back of this bent end the clamp plate 6* is set,
and between these two parts is inserted a piece B' of some suitable flexible material,
such as leather or vulcanized rubber that forms the acting ond of each finger. This
piece is tightly held between the clamps by the bolts and nuts 6³. These flexible
ends are renewed when worn and are also made longer or shorter to chango the
degree of flexibility as desired. In practice it will be found that the stiffness of these
gripping ends requires to be greater for skins that pull hard; so that by substituting
one kind of material for another and also by changing the length of the flexible
portion, the character of the finger in action can be varied. The contact of the
fingers with the front edge and top of the separating-plate is regulated by setting the
revolving head A up or down in its supports. For this purpose the journals Fx, of
the head are mounted on boxes p on the ends of the arms P, P, that are fixed on
opposite sides of the block D by long bolts p*, pxx and the front bolt p* is set
through slots g in the two arms, so that the outer ends of the arms can be elevated
or depressed. The stationary separating-plate C is fastened to the bottom of the
block D, by screws and is supported by it directly over the bed-roller.
The pressure of the fingers against the top of the separating-plate is also adjusted
by placing springs 63 behind the fingers and substituting light for heavy springs, or
vice versa, as the gripping action may require to be altered in character.
The construction of revolving head as represented in figures 1, 3, and 4 of the
drawings has a hydrostatic pressure dovice combined with it for varying the grip of
the fingers upon the hairs lying over the end of the separating plate. The head A has
a water chamber A* in the contre, connected by a pipe t, and a passago through one
journal with an accumulator, T, placed under the table W. The pressure of the water
in the chamber is applied by small plungers a, set in apertures through the head
from the outside with their outer ends bearing against the backs of the fingers, one
plunger to each finger. By shifting the weight on the lever Tx of the accumulator T
the pressure in the chamber A will be varied accordingly and the fingers will press
with greater or less force in running over the separating plate. In the other con-
struction shown in figures 7 and 8 the springs 6 are used instead of the hydrostatic
device. In this case, the short stud bolts 6, with their nuts hold the fingers against
the springs; and in the other construction, figures 1, 3, and 4, the ends of the
fingers are prolonged behind the pivots, and light springs h are placed under thein to
hold down the front end of the fingers B against the plungers.
The block D has a shank D* setting into a socket H in the casting H* that is fixed
to the end of a pendent timber or post I from an overhead beam, and the screw
shaft G with a hand wheel is provided for moving the block up and down in its
support. This movement changes the distance of the plate above the roller E. A
vertical adjustment of the roller E is also provided. The frame K, K, has boxes f,
for the journals F× of the roller E, and is hinged at k, k, to the top of the table, but

page_text: is free to lift at the other end. A lifting screw L passing through a fixed nut m, in
the table has its end directly under the crossbar K× of the roller frame. For
convenience in working this lifting device, the screw has a sheave m* on its head
under the table, and a cord belt is carried from the sheave out to a sheave n* at the
side of the table that is furnished with a hand wheel M.
An adjustment of the bed-roller in a vertical are from one end to take an inclined
position under the separating plate is also provided for the purpose of presenting
some portions of the skin properly to the stripping mechanism. Such portions of a
skin are where the hairs are of irregular lengths and vary from long to short or
vice versa, as at or near the belly part and the edges of the skins. To present all
the hairs properly to the stripping fingers at such portions I vary the position of the
bed roller and give it greater or less degree of inclination from the horizontal. This
is done by placing a regulating screw Funder one of the journal boxes f of the
bed-roller, and by a sheave q* on the end of the screw, and a similar sheave at the
side of the table with a connecting belt affording means of readily turning the screw
during the progress of the work. The regulating screw turns in a fixed nut F* in
the roller frame, and its end takes into the bottom of the journal box that slides in
grooves in the frame K. R. R. are the parts of a self-feeding frame to advance the
skin through the machine at suitable speed. The carriage R slides longitudinally on
the table, and the frame R* carried by it has lateral movement in it. The skin X
(figure 2) to be pulled is first prepared by stretching in a hoop Xx in the usual way,
and is then laid in this frame, which is of suitable size to take in the hoop. The
feed-mechanism employed, is a winding barrel S driven by suitable gearing S* S²
from a pulley S3 which in turn is driven from a pulley and shafting overhead by the
belt S. The carriage R is attached to the rope R³ from the barrel S and is drawn
forward as the rope is wound up. The clutch Z is provided for throwing off the
barrel from the power when it is required to run the carriage back for making a
fresh start. The frame R is shifted laterally in its carriage to present another
breadth of skin to the stripping fingers. With this self-feeding attachment to my
machine, one person can operate and regulate it as the work goes on.
V is a steam coil placed inside the roller frame as shown in figure 2 and con-
nected with a supply of steam by a pipe from the outside. It is employed to
keep the skin moist and warm during operation, that it may pull easily. Suitable
moisture is obtained by laying a wet cloth on the coil. It should be observed that
a stretched skin can be fed through this machine by hand without a self-feeding
frame, but in such case an additional workman would be necessary to handle the
skin. Y is a suction chamber formed in the support D and connected by a pipe y*
with a suction fan y by which the hairs are drawn off and carried away from the
machine to keep the work clean.
In the construction of separating plate shown in figure 5 I set a small roller C' in
the top face just at the back of the nose, so as to have a revolving instead of a fixed
surface for the ends of the fingers to bear against. I find that this form of plate is
effective in working on skins that pull hard.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. A hair pulling machine having a revolving head or block carrying fingers
with flexible ends, a stationary plate adapted to turn up the ends of the hairs and to
present them in the path of the fingers, and a bed-roller beneath said plate, sub-
stantially as described to operate as set forth.
Second. In a hair pulling machine, a stationary separating plate and a revolving
finger having a flexible edge which is adapted to impinge and run against the
nose or front edge of said plate combined and arranged for operation as set
forth.
Third. The stationary separating plate having a roller set into its top face behind

page_text: the nose, and a revolving finger having a flexible or yielding end and a pressure
regulating device combined for operation therewith as set forth.
Fourth. A hair pulling machine having a vertically movable bed roller, a stationary
separating plate, and a revolving head carrying fingers that are adapted to impinge
against and run over the end of said plate, the said fingers being adjustable with
respect to one another as described for operation as set forth.
Fifth. The combination of the revolving stripping fingers, stationary separating
plate. and the bed roller having vertical adjustment in an arc from one end as
described for operation as set forth.
Sixth. A hair pulling machine having a heating device to keep the skin warm
while being pulled.
Seventh. In a hair pulling machine the combination of a hair pulling device adapted
to seize and pull the coarse hairs from the fur of a skin and a self feeding frame in
which the skin is stretched having a progressive movement to carry the skin through
the hair pulling device substantially as described.
Eighth. A machine for pulling hairs from skins consisting of the following elements
and parts, that is to say a hair pulling device, a skin supporting roller, a self feeding
frame, a skin warming device and a suction apparatus constructed and combined for
operation as set forth.
Date :
1