Improved Tanning Apparatus.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1898-Accepted, 16th July, 1898.
Improved Tanning Apparatus.
I, HERBERT SEFTON-JONES, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson & Co., the Agency
for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of
Lancaster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
The present application for Letters Patent has for its object a new construction
of tanning drum or vessel for rapid tanning.
The tanning drums hitherto in use are hermetically closed and there is placed in
the interior of these apparatuses the hides to be tanned on the one hand and the
tanning extract on the other. It follows from this that a very considerable weight
has to be set in motion if the full quantity of extract necessary for the tanning be
added. For the purpose of obviating this drawback the improved construction
of tanning drum which forms the object of this application has been devised. It
is so arranged that it is immersed in the tanning extract and the hides alone are
placed in the interior of the drum.
The apparatus may consist of an ordinary wooden drum or the like of any suit-
able construction but which has its circumference pierced with holes or the like
which forms an essential feature of the improvement. The said drum is mounted
upon an axle which may receive rotary motion by means of gear wheels or any
other suitable method of transmission. The revolving shaft is placed above a
vessel containing the tanning extract and in which the drum is immersed, whereby
the same is rendered lighter in consequence of the displacement of the liquid.
The drum is provided with an aperture for the introduction of the hides, when this
operation is completed the aperture is closed and the drum is caused to revolve.
The liquid containing the tanning abstract penetrates through orifices into the
interior of the drum and comes in contact with the hides. These latter are thus
constantly maintained during the rotation of the drum in contact with a quantity
of tanning extract which may be very considerable in comparison with the
dimensions of the vessel, and which nevertheless does not render the drum more
heavy seeing that the liquid is not exclusively in the interior of this apparatus.
By means of the apparatus above described a drum of ordinary dimensions
containing say from 12 to 20 large hides may be actuated with a very small force
say from half horse power to one and a half horse power.

page_text: The above described apparatus effects the tanning with great rapidity and it
is possible to effect a complete tanning of the thickest hides in about three days.
Dated this 1st day of September 1897.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant, 322, High Holborn, London, W.C.
Improved Tanning Apparatus.
I, HERBERT SEFTON-JONES, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson & Co., the Agency
for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of
Lancaster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Patent Agent, 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:-
The present application for Letters Patent has for its object a new construction
of tanning drum or vessel for rapid tanning.
The apparatus is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing,
in which
Figure 1 is an end view of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is an elevation thereof.
The tanning drums hitherto in use are hermetically closed and there is placed in
the interior of these apparatuses the hides to be tanned on the one hand and the
tanning extract on the other. It follows from this that a very considerable weight
has to be set in motion if the full quantity of extract necessary for the tanning
be added. For the purpose of obviating this drawback the improved construction
of tanning drum which forms the object of this application has been devised. It
is so arranged that it is immersed in the tanning extract and the hides alone are
placed in the interior of the drum.
The apparatus may consist of a wooden drum provided internally with the
projections E. It may be of any convenient construction, but its periphery must
be perforated with holes, such as a. This drum is mounted upon a horizontal
shaft E to which is communicated a rotary motion by means of a gearing C, or
other suitable means. The rotary shaft B is fixed above a vessel F containing the
tanning liquor in which the revolving drum is plunged, which is consequently
buoyed up by reason of the displacement of the liquor. The drum is provided
with a door D through which the hides can be inserted: After this is done the
door is closed, and the drum is caused to revolve. The tanning liquid penetrates
through the orifices a into the interior of the drum, and comes in contact with the
hides. These latter are thus constantly in contact during the rotation of the drum.
with a quantity of tanning liquid, which can be very considerable in proportion
to the dimensions of the vessel F, and which nevertheless will not render the drum
excessively heavy, because the whole of the liquid is not in the interior of the said
apparatus.
By means of my invention I can with a minimum force (say from one-half horse
power to one and one-half horse power, or thereabouts) actuate a drum of suitable
dimensions containing from twelve to twenty large hides.
.
My new system of drum gives a very great rapidity of tanning, and by this
means I can obtain a complete tanning of the thickest hides in about thirty hours.
If during the operation it is desired to subject the hides to a more or less active

page_text: tanning material the holes of the drum may be stopped up, and as the drum con-
tinues to turn in a liquid, this will not involve the use of an increased motive
power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what matter the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
The above described apparatus for rapid tanning consisting essentially of a
tanning agitator-drum partly immersed in a vessel containing the tanning liquid
which penetrates into the interior of the said drum through orifices formed in
the periphery of the latter; the said drum effecting a tanning with a minimal
motive power and with the employ of a relatively large quantity of tanning liquid.
Dated this lot dov of Luna 1808
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.