IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CURRYING. LEATHER
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th February 1870.- A communication from abroad by Jules
Landron, junior, of 37, Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, France,
Tanner and Currier.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son,
of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CURRYING.
LEATHER," a communication to me from abroad by Jules Landron, junior,
of 37, Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, France, Tanner and Currier,
to be as follows :-
:-
In the operation of sleeking or smoothing hides the paring consists in
removing from these skins the fleshy parts that have remained adhering
to them during the first tanning operations. This operation is generally
very inefficiently performed by hand, whereas by the machinery herein-
after described it is effected in the most satisfactory manner without
causing any greater loss of weight. Further, by reason of the pressure

page_text: "
and the stretching undergone by the leather all the inequalities and
wrinkles disappear, pommeling ("rebroussage") becomes needless, and
the hide is submitted to the various operations of smoothing or sleeking
under the most favorable conditions.
The machinery or apparatus the subject of this Invention is illustrated
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing.
The hide to be pared is first placed on the table a, moveable in the
direction of its length by four rim pulleys running on two iron rails, and
thus permitting every part of the hide under treatment to be brought
successively into contact with the bronze tool b. A frame of iron or of
wood and iron c, c, carries at its upper part two slide or guide bars d,
between which moves a rectangular frame e, and at its lower part four
supports ƒ, 9, two on each end of frame, intended to guide and uphold
two wooden beams, levers, or pivoting pieces h set on two axles i fixed
on the two supports f. The rectangular frame e has two main rods,
which are kept oscillating by two guides R attached to each end of the
frame and tied by three tie pieces, the first of which carries the bearings
of the slide bars, the second two large friction rollers running around
the two beams h, and the lower tie piece, which is free at its ends, can
turn, obeying the oblique movements given by the crank o to the
connecting rod p which sets the tool at work. The result of this
movement is that the tool attacks the hide at various degrees of
inclination, its work being thus completely assimilated to that effected
by hand.
I will now describe the effect produced during the working in the
direction indicated by the arrow. The bronze friction rollers run under
the beams and uplift them as they advance, because they are not
parallel with the table. This uplifting meets with the resistance of four
spiral springs fixed to the four supports f, g, and of the spring placed in
the slide bars d. This resistance represents the pressure of the tool on
the hide, a pressure which may be increased or lessened according to the
thickness of the hide by means of the fly wheel and screw v. When
the friction rollers reach the end of the beams these latter yielding to
the action of the springs lower again into their first position. The
friction rollers then travel over the top of the pivoting beams until the
same effect is produced at the other end, the tool then ceases to be
isolated from the hide and resumes its work.

page_text: I may add that of all the various operations of currying the paring
and the pommeling ("rebroussage") are the most arduous, and the
improved machinery the subject of this Invention while effecting a
great saving has the further advantage of liberating the workman from
this fatiguing labour.