IMPROVEMENTS IN FLESHING MACHINES, SUCH IMPROVE- MENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER OPERATIONS REQUIRED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Middleton, of Leeds, in the County of York, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLESHING MACHINES, SUCH IMPROVE-
MENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER OPERATIONS REQUIRED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER."
Sealed the 29th July 1879, and dated the 4th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Middleton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th February 1879.
"
ROBERT MIDDLETON, of Leeds, in the County of York. IMPROVEMENTS IN
FLESHING MACHINES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER
OPERATIONS REQUIRED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER."
My improvements are particularly applicable to fleshing machines, but may also
be employed in other processes in the manufacture of leather, such as for striking,
whitening, and rolling.
According to my Invention, as applied to the fleshing operation, I employ a
cylinder provided with spirally placed cutters on its periphery, and I mount it
between framework in bearings or slide blocks fitted within suitable slide bars on the
framework. To the cylinder I impart a reciprocating motion, and also simultaneously
therewith a rotary motion, the reciprocating motion being imparted from a crank or
eccentric, and in order to give the required rotary motion, I by preference employ
compensating pulleys for the purpose of keeping the belt tight during the horizontal
backwards and forwards motion of the cutter, or in some cases I dispense with the
belt for giving the rotary motion, and employ bevel gearing instead, such bevel
gearing adapting itself automatically during the backwards and forwards motion of
the machine.
I provide a flat table below the cutter, which is supported on castors arranged
so that it may be moved in any required direction, and on it I place the hide to be
fleshed. The hide is held on the table during the operation of fleshing by clamps
or other ordinary means.
When employed for other operations in this manufacture, instead of having
cutters on the cylinder I employ other projections of ordinary construction, such
as are now used in the trade, or in some cases the projections may be dispensed with
altogether, other parts being the same as for fleshing machines.

page_text: the pulleys p on the cylinder shaft. These give direction to the belts for the pur-
pose of obtaining the required amount of friction upon the pulleys p, for the purpose
of giving the required rotary motion, at the same time retaining the belt in the
position shewn with respect to the pulleys p throughout the whole of the stroke of
the cutter cylinder a. In order to regulate the vertical position of the cylinder a,
I arrange the slide bars d on the studs g, so. as to be capable of adjustment, and
retain them in position when adjusted by means of the nuts gl; for the purpose of
effecting this adjustment I employ the double ended lever or treadle q³, which is
actuated by the attendant, and the motion transmitted therefrom through the
vertical rod q, lever r, and from thence through. bell crank levers 8, and rods t
and u.
In some cases, when preferred, I dispense with the belts and employ bevel
gearing, such bevel gearing adapting itself automatically to the backwards and
forwards motion of the machine. I provide a flat table v, which is supported either
on castors, as shewn at w, Fig. 6, or as shewn at x, Fig. 2, or ¹, Fig. 4 and 5. In
Fig. the table is placed on a carriage y, mounted on runners z; by this means the
table can be travelled backwards and forwards on the rail 1.
The hide is held on the table for the operation of fleshing by clamps or other
ordinary means.
When the castors ware used as shewn at Fig. 6, there is no necessity to provide a
carriage therefor, but simply to mount it on framework, as shewn at y¹, all the
required motion therefor being obtained through the medium of the castors w.
In order to traverse the carriage y, I obtain my motion from the shaft i, and
transmit it through worm 2 to worm wheel 3, bevel wheels 4, shaft 5, rack pinion 6,
and rack 7, which is secured to the carriage y; 8 and 9 are ordinary clutches for
the purpose of reversing the traverse of the carriage. The operation of reversing
is effected by the attendant through the medium of the bell crank lever 10, rod 11,
and lever 12 acting upon the clutches 8 and 9 in the ordinary manner.
At Figs. 6 and 7 the arrangement of driving and the means of adjusting the
cutter cylinder a is shewn in a modified form, and in this case I dispense with the
pulleys o, and pass the belt in a spiral direction once round the pulley p, and from
thence over the tension pulleys n and m, and for the purpose of adjusting the cutter
cylinder a I attach the slide bars to the rods 13 and 14, and raise or lower them
by means of the lever 15, through the medium of the bell crank levers 16 and 17,
and connecting rod 18. The weight 19 is used to counter balance the weight of
the slide bars.
The hand lever 15 is retained in any desired position by means of the catch plate
20 and adjustable catch 21.
By this arrangement the cutter can be lifted clear of the material operated upon
at any moment.
When the herein before described machine is employed for further operations in
the manufacture of leather, I employ other projections of ordinary construction,
such as are now used in the trade, or in some cases the projections may be dispensed
with altogether.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and described with the
aid of Drawings how the same may be carried into practice, I would have it under-
stood that I do not limit myself to the precise details or configuration of the parts
I have described and shewn, as the same may be varied or modified without departing
from the nature of my said Invention, but what I do claim and desire to be secured
to me by Letters Patent is,-
First. The arrangement of apparatus for simultaneously transmitting a rotary
and reciprocating motion to the rotatating cutter cylinder or tool a, substantially as
and for purposes herein set forth.
Second. The means employed for suspending and adjusting the guide bars for
regulating the cutter cylinder or tool, substantially as and for purposes herein set
forth.

page_text: Third. The arrangement, construction, and application of table and parts con-
nected therewith, for supporting and traversing the hide or skin under the cutters
or tools, šubstantially as and for purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said-Robert.Middleton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentyninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
-eight hundred and seventy nine.