Improvements in the Art or Process of Treating Skins.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Art or Process of Treating Skins.
We, JOHN WESLEY PEIRSON and FREDERICK AUGUSTUS TALLMADGE MOOR,
both of corner Dillwyn and Willow Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.,
Tanners, 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 :-
It is the object of our invention to provide a simple, expeditious and com-
paratively inexpensive mode of treatment whereby skins of goats, sheep-skins
from which the wool has been pulled, pelts and other hides in the hair, or condition
which is sometimes designated raw stock, may be prepared for and delivered to
the tanner in a few hours after their preparatory treatment has been commenced
and to this end our invention consists in the improvements hereinafter more fully
described and particularly claimed.
In practising our invention, we prepare a more or less hot solution of sulphide
of sodium in water, for example, we place twenty-five pounds of sulphide of
sodium in a tank or other suitable vessel and introduce water at a temperature of
100°, Fahrenheit, more or less into it. We then put the resulting hot aqueous
solution of sulphide of sodium into a drum that may be sealed and rotated and
we add water, for example, twenty ordinary buckets full, more or less, whereupon
we introduce the skins or hides just as they come from the animal, except perhaps,
that in the case of sheep skins the wool is previously removed. The proportions
above described are intended for twenty dozen sheep skins or pelts so that it will
be assumed that that number is introduced into the revoluble drum, whereupon the
latter is sealed or closed by putting on its heads or in any other manner, and
rotated by any appropriate devices for a couple of hours more or less. The drum
still sealed or closed to the atmosphere may then be permitted to remain at rest
for ten additional hours more or less, for example, over night. During this time
the skins are excluded from the atmospheric air and are exposed to the aqueous
solution of sulphide of sodium and to such fumes and vapors as arise therefrom.
Subsequently and after the lapse of these few hours, the drum is opened and the
skins are washed with water whereupon they are in condition for the tanner to
receive and tan them by any preferred method of tanning. In order to be in this
condition (i.e. ready for tanning) it is obvious that the skins must have been
depilated and cleansed and since it is the object of our invention to make the
skins ready for the tanner to tan them, it is apparent to those skilled in the art of
preparing skins for use by tanners that when they have been treated as above set
forth and in accordance with our invention, they are depilated and cleansed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The art of completely preparing skins, pelts, hides, skins in the hair or raw
stock for tanning which consists in one continuous and uninterrupted operation
comprising subjecting them to attrition in the presence of a bath of sulphide of
sodium and in a closed vessel whereby they are rapidly depilated and cleansed
and prepared for the tanning solution or solutions without handling or interruption,
5 substantially as described.
2. The art of completely preparing skins, pelts, hides, skins in the hair or raw

page_text: stock for tanning which consists in one continuous and uninterrupted operation
comprising subjecting them to attrition in the presence of a bath of hot sulphide
of sodium and in a closed vessel whereby they are rapidly depilated and cleansed
and prepared for the tanning solution or solutions without handling or interruption,
substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of January 1896.
JOHN WESLEY PEIRSON.
FREDERICK AUGUSTUS TALLMADGE MOOR.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.