IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING HIDES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Campbell Eyton, of the Albert Iron
Works, Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING HIDES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.”
Sealed the 7th October 1871, and dated the 19th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Campbell
Eyton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 19th April 1871.
1
I, WILLIAM CAMPBELL EYTON, of the Albert Iron Works, War-
rington, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING HIDES AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES," to be as follows :-
The object of my Invention is to economise time in drying hides and
other substances.
In performing my Invention I place the substances to be dried in
a closed chamber or vessel, and I force into this chamber a current of
air which has passed through calcium chloride or other dessicating

page_text: material, the moisture given off by the substances in the chamber is
absorbed by the current of dried air, and the air is again brought into
the required anhydrous condition by being again passed through the
dessicating material; or the current of dried air forced into the drying
chamber may be supplied continuously, and the moist air allowed to
escape into the atmosphere.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Campbell Eyton in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 14th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM ]
CAMPBELL EYTON, of the Albert Iron Works, Warrington in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of April in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty- 1
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Campbell Eyton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Campbell Eyton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Campbell
Eyton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN DRYING HIDES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Campbell Eyton, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Campbell Eyton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :-
The nature of my Invention consists in drying hides, skins, and other
substances, by subjecting them to the action of currents of air from
which the moisture has been removed by passing through calcium,
chloride, or other dessicating material.
In performing my Invention I place or suspend the substances or
materials to be dried in a stove or chamber, and I force into this stove or
chamber, by means of a pan or other equivalent, a current of atmospheric
air from which the moisture is removed by passing it through calcium
chloride or other dessicating material. The moisture given off by the
substances or materials in the stove or chamber is absorbed by the
current of dried air that is forced into the stove or chamber, and the air
from the stove or chamber when partially charged with the moisture
that is given off by the substances or materials to be dried is again
brought into the required anhydrous condition by being repassed through
the dessicating material. By this means the same air may be used over
and over again until the substances or materials are sufficiently dried.
My Invention may be modified by forcing a continuous current of
air through the dessicating material, into the drying stove or chamber,
and then allowing the air charged with the moisture to escape into the
atmosphere.
It is evident that my Invention may be applied to any ordinary
drying stove or chamber, and that the quantity of calcium chloride or
other dessicating material employed must depend upon the nature of the
substance or material to be dried, and to the volume of air forced into
the stove or chamber.
By means of this Invention hides, skins, and other substances may
be dried more expeditiously than heretofore, and the injurious effects of
warm or heated air are avoided.
· The usual expensive apparatus for warming or heating the air is
dispensed with.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the
manner of performing the same, I declare that I claim drying hides,
skins, and other substances by currents of atmospheric air from which

page_text: the moisture has been extracted by passing through calcium chloride
or other dessicating material.
In witness whereof, I, the said William. Campbell Eyton, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.