An Improved Process for Continuously Treating Hides in Tanning Liquors, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: i
Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 9th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1894
… י - : ! -יד
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Continuously Treating Hides in Tanning
Liquors, and Apparatus therefor.
=
=
I, HEINRICH WILHELM BRÜNING of Neumünster in the Kingdom of Prussia
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved process for continuously treating hides in
tanning liquors and apparatus therefor.
In the tanning process. by means of liquors acting in several receptacles upon
the hides, a great inconvenience consists in the necessity of taking out from time to
time from each receptacle the contents of same, and of conveying the hides to
another receptacle. For this purpose, if the work is done by hand, tackles and
travelling trollies are arranged above the battery or series of receptacles for the
purpose of lifting the frames having the hides suspended thereon and for conveying
the-same to another place. In addition to the considerable mechanical work to be
performed this process presents, owing to the removal of the hides from the tanning
liquor, the further defects that not only is the tanning process interrupted and
unnecessarily prolonged but the quality of the leather is also prejudicially affected
if the hides are exposed several times for a more or less lengthened period to the
atmospheric air or are even hanging freely in lieu of floating in the tanning
liquor.
. Attempts have been made to keep the hides for a longer space of time or even
continuously-in. the same receptacle and to allow the continuously agitated liquor
to act on the same, but they have not hitherto given a satisfactory useful result
because it has not been found possible to supply continuously and to strengthen the
liquor with certainty.
My improved method of working permits the complete tanning of the hides in
the same receptacle in which they were originally suspended, it not being necessary
during the whole duration of the tanning process to convey the material to be
treated to another place.
attain, this result by a peculiar manner of guiding the tanning liquor
compelling the same to flow continuously in a determined way through the
charged receptacles, so that it is no longer necessary to agitate the liquor by special
devices.
::
The receptacle, which is to be charged with fresh material, is momentarily
The
removed from the battery and replaced after it has been charged anew.
insertion of a receptacle charged. with fresh hides and the removal of the same
after the contents have been thoroughly tanned' take place in a very simple manner
by modifying the direction of the flow of the tanning. liquor, so that this new
method of working presents not the least difficulty.
The accompanying drawings show an arrangement of apparatus whereby my
improved method of working may be carried out, comprising three receptacles or
vats. A, B, C,, arranged ane following the other.
Figures 1 and 2 being longitudinal sections of the same.
Figure 3 a plan view, and
Figure 4 a cross section thereof.
The number of these receptacles and their peculiar shape and position relative to

page_text: The tanning liquor is supplied preferably through glazed pipes or through
channels having smooth walls and arranged directly in the body of the wall of the
tanning receptacles, if the enclosure walls are made of masonry. Wooden or iron
conduits are not absolutely necessary, and repairs of such channels are entirely
excluded. The supply channel D for the fresh liquor enters the four front wall
(see plan view Figure 3) and passages are branched off into the right side wall and
the two positions, whence the liquor enters the receptacles at the bottom of the
same. These inlet ports may be shut off, if required, by the slides D' D³ and D³.
Besides this main supply channel D there is arranged in the same or in the other
front wall in the whole length a second channel E with branch channels E' E' in
the side walls, putting the last receptacle in communication with the first one, as
shown in the drawings.
Upon the partition walls, the fore.front wall and the free side wall of the last
receptacle, covered channels F, G, H, J-are-arranged serving to-lead away the
used liquor towards the escape. These covered channels arranged upon the partition
walls (the channel G only in its upper half) are divided by means of a web.
Moreover these channels are on one half of (see Figs. 2 and 4) their walls so much
lower, that, when these latter are covered by a bridge between them and the
upper channel cover, the overflow passage for the liquor from one receptacle to the
other is formed. The second half of the channel already provided with a higher
back wall may be shut off on the front wall by ineans of a long wedge introduced
between the upper edge of the front wall of the channel and the cover.
The way
of the liquor shown in Figures 1 and 2 and by the section lines belonging thereto
in plan view on lines x and y y is as follows:
If the fresh liquor has to enter at A and thence to pass to B and C, the ports
for the fresh liquor to B and C are closed by the slides D2 D³. The liquor enters
through D' at the bottom of A, it rises in this receptacle upwards and falls over
the bridge I made of masonry down into the shaft Bi arranged in the receptacle B
up to below the grate, it rises then upwards in the receptacle B and falls-down-
wards over the bridge II into the shaft C¹, for rising in the receptacle C and
for flowing off through the fore open half part H¹ of the side wall channel H to
the passage K.
The channel halves F G H are entirely shut off by the wedges L introduced
into the open front side, and no liquor can flow back from the channels into the
receptacles.
If the fresh liquor is supplied into the receptacle B, the passage from B to C is
the same.
But in the receptacle C the channel H' separated from the rear half by
a partition wall, is shut off by the wedge L and the channel H is opened, so that
the rising liquor falls into the latter and is led through the wall channel E¹E E² to
the receptacle A, where the lower port D¹ is shut off from the main supply by
means of slides. The channel F is opened by withdrawing the wedge Land the
bridge I is closed by a wedge, so that the used liquor flows off through F¼.J. H to
the passage K.
.
The way of the liquor through C A B is therefore obvious, and the used liquor
runs into the passage G, it flows then through G' underneath the bridge. I
to J HK (see Figure 4). After the tanned hides have been withdrawn from a
receptacle the strong liquor is immediately drawn from the latter by means of
pumps. The liquor supply is momentarily stopped and the supply conduit D
serves directly as a suction pipe. A special suction conduit is therefore not
required.
.)
While the other slides shut off the charged receptacles from this suction conduit,
a slide provided with a pump foot valve (see Figure 5) is arranged in front of the
inlet port of the box to be emptied by pumps, whereupon the receptacle is
discharged. The circulation of the liquor begins immediately anew as soon as the
valve has been removed and the ordinary slide applied again after the emptied
receptacle has been charged anew with fresh hides upon which flows now the
weakest liquor.

page_text: The working is continued without interruption in the above described manner
and I thus attain considerable saving of working power, with less delay; a better
result than has been hitherto attained in tanning by means of liquors.
Dated this Twentieth day of April 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Continuously Treating Hides in Tanning
Liquors, and Apparatus therefor.
I, HEINRICH WILHELM BRÜNING, of Neumünster, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
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:
This invention relates to an improved process for continuously treating hides in
tanning liquors and apparatus therefor.
In the tanning process by means of liquors acting in several receptacles upon the
hides a great inconvenience consists in the necessity of taking out from time to time
from each receptacle the contents of same-and of conveying the hides to another
receptacle. For this purpose if the work is done by hand, tackles and travelling
trollies are arranged above the battery or series of receptacles for the purpose of
lifting the frames having the hides suspended thereon and for conveying the same
to another place.
5.
In addition to the considerable mechanical work to be performed this process
presents owing to the removal of the hides from the tanning liquor the further
defects that not only is the tanning process interrupted and unnecessarily prolonged,
but the quality of the leather is also prejudicially affected if the hides are exposed
several times for a more or less lengthened period to the atmospheric air or are even
hanging freely in lieu of floating in the tanning liquor.
. Attempts have been made to keep the hides for a longer space of time or even
continuously in the same receptacle and to allow the continuously agitated liquor to
act on the same but they have not hitherto given a satisfactory useful result
because it has not been found possible to supply continuously and to strengthen the
liquor with certainty.
My improved method of working permits the complete tanning of the hides-in
the same receptacle in which they were originally suspended, it not being necessary.
during the whole duration of the tanning process to convey the material to be
treated to another place. I attain this result by a peculiar manner of guiding the
tanning liquor compelling the same to flow continuously in a determined way
through the charged receptacles, so that it is no longer necessary to agitate the
liquor by special devices.
The receptacle which is to be charged with fresh material is momentarily
removed from the battery and replaced after it has been charged anew. The
insertion of a receptacle charged with fresh hides and the removal of the same after
the contents have been thoroughly tanned take place in a very simple manner by.
modifying the direction of the flow of the tanning liquor, so that this new method
of working presents not the least difficulty.
The drawings (which were filed with the Provisional Specification) show an
arrangement of apparatus whereby. my improved method of working may be
carried out, comprising three receptacles or vats, A, B, C, arranged one following
the other.
Figures 1 and 2 being longitudinal sections of the same,

page_text: gure 3 a plan view, and
Figure 4, a cross-section thereof.
The number of these receptacles and their peculiar shape and position relative
to each other may of course be optional, provided that the method of working of
the whole arrangement remains the same.
The tanning liquor is supplied preferably through glazed pipes or through
channels having smooth walls and arranged directly in the body of the wall of the
tanning receptacles, if the enclosure walls are made of masonry. Wooden or iron
conduits are not absolutely necessary and repairs of such channels are entirely
excluded. The supply channel D for the fresh liquor enters the fore front wall
(see plan view Figure 3) and passages are branched off into the right side wall and
the two partitions, whence the liquor enters the receptacles at the bottom of the
same. These inlet ports may be shut off if required by the slides D', D²,& D³.. ·
Besides this main supply channel D there is arranged in the same or in the other
front wall in the whole length a second channel E with branch channels E', E' in
the side walls putting the last receptacle in communication with the first one, as
shown in the drawing.
Upon the partition walls, the fore front wall and the free side wall of the 'last
receptacle covered channels F, G, H, J are arranged serving to lead away the used
liquor towards the escape. These covered channels arranged upon the partition
walls (the channel G only in its upper half), are divided by means of a web.
Moreover these channels are on one half of (see Figures 2 & 4) their walls so
much lower that, when these latter are covered by a bridge between them and the
upper channel cover, the overflow passage for the liquor from one receptacle to the
other is formed. The second half of the channel already provided with a higher
back wall may be shut off on the front wall by means of a long wedge introduced
between the upper edge of the front wall of the channel and the cover. The wayi
of the liquor shown in Figures 1 & 2 and by the section lines belonging thereto in
plan view on line. and y-y is as follows:-
If the fresh liquor has to enter at A and thence to pass to B and C, the ports
for the fresh liquor to B and C are closed by the slides D', D³. The liquor enters
through D' at the bottom of A, it rises in this receptacle upwards and falls over
the bridge I made of masonry down into the shaft B' arranged in the receptacle B up
to below the grate, it rises then upwards in the receptacle B and falls downwards.
over the bridge II into the shaft C', for rising in the receptacle C and for flowing
off through the fore open half port H' of the side wall channel H to the
passage K. The channel halves F, G, H are entirely shut off by the wedges L
introduced into the open front side, and no liquor can flow. back from the channels
into the receptacles.
If the fresh liquor is supplied into the receptacle B, the passage from B to C
is the same.
But in the receptacle C the channel H' separated from the rear half.
by a partition wall, is shut off by the wedge L and the channel H' is opened so
that the rising liquor falls into the latter and is led through the wall channel E', E, E*
to the receptacle A where the lower port D' is shut off from the main supply by
means of slides. The channel F¹ is opened by withdrawing the wedge L and the
bridge I is closed by a wedge so that the used liquor flows off through F, J, H to
the passage. K.
:
The way of the liquor through C A B is therefore obvious, and the used liquor
runs into the passage G³, it flows then through G₁ underneath the bridge I
to J HK (see Figures 3 & 4). After the tanned hides have been withdrawn from
a receptacle the strong liquor is immediately drawn from the latter by means of:
pumps. The liquor supply is momentarily stopped and the supply conduit D. serves,
directly as a suction pipe. A special suction conduit is therefore not required.
:
While the other slides shut off the charged receptacles from this suction conduit
a slide provided with a pump foot valve-(see Figure 5)-is arranged in front of
the inlet port of the box to be emptied by pumps whereupon the receptacle is.
discharged. The circulation of the liquor begins immediately anew as soon as the

page_text: valve has been removed and the ordinary slide applied again after the emptied
receptacle has been charged anew with fresh hides upon which flows now the
weakest liquor.
The working is continued without interruption in the above described manner, and
I thus attain considerable saving of working power, with less delay: a better result
than has been hitherto attained in tanning by means of liquore.
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. A process of tanning by means of liquors characterised by finishing the
tanning process in the same receptacle in which the hides were originally
Buspended, the liquor flowing continuously through the receptacles (and in each
vessel from below upwards) in such a direction that the strongest liquor acts on
the hides which are in the last treating period of the tanning process, while the
used liquor runs off from the receptacle charged with fresh hides, substantially as
set forth.
2. For carrying out the process characterised in the first claim an arrangement
of receptacles, in which the entrance of the fresh liquor takes place through
channels D arranged in the walls and capable of being shut off alternately by
means of slides, while on one hand upon the partition walls bridges are provided
over which the liquor falls down into the 'shaft of the next receptacle and on the
other hand the eduction channels for the used liquor are arranged in such a manner,
that by inserting closure pieces between channel & bridge inlet ports and the cover
of the partition wall the escape channel or the bridge may be shut off as may be
required, substantially as above described.
3. The employment of the supply channels D for the fresh liquor as a suction
channel for the liquor to be pumped out from the receptacle to be charged with
fresh material in such a manner, that in the receptacle in question in front of the
channel in lieu of the shut off slide a slide is arranged which is provided with
a pump foot valve substantially as set forth.
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