Improvement in Machinery for Treating Skins, Hides, Leather, and other like Substances.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 25th June; 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Machinery for Treating Skins, Hides, Leather, and
other like Substances.
JOSEPH HALL, Engineer, Dyson House, Burley Wood, Leeds, Yorkshire, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvement consist chiefly in an arrangement whereby smaller pieces of
leather &c. can be softened or worked than hertofore also larger pieces are
improved by this arrangment. Heretofore such machine for softening leather
have had their tools fixed in arms or opening jaws which opens towards the
operator & closes while they travel from him thus gripping the leather & drawing
it over the tools which tools hitherto have been fixed parallel to each other, but
I purpose to so arrange the tools as to work spirally or obliquely by this arrang-
ment I get a lateral & longitudinal stretch this is necessary for smaller pieces
of leather. My second improvement consists in an arrangment wherby I control
the arm carrying the tools &, is so arranged that I can increase or diminish the
nipping pouer of the arm while machine is in motion & by this means am able
to work on light or heavy skins or leather also can better work on damaged skins
as it enables tool to pass over holes. My third improvement consists in employ-
ing two revolving cylinders of suitable material & with surfaces of such a form
to work out the leather or skin in two directions at same time these cylinders
are so placed as to be movable (while revolving) in any desired direction-also
in an arngement for dressing the skin from the two cylinders.
Second September One thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven.
Improvement in Machinery for Treating Skins, Hides, Leather, and
other like Substances.
I, JOSEPH HALL, of Dyson House, Burley Wood, Leeds, Yorkshire, Engineer,
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:―
My improvements consist chiefly in an arrangement whereby smaller pieces of
leather skin hide or other similar substances can be softened or worked than
heretofore, but whereby larger pieces can also be worked better. In a form
of machine heretofore used for softening leather the tools were fixed respectively
on an upper and a lower jaw which open towards the operator and close while
they travel from him thus gripping the leather and drawing it over the tools;

page_text: these tools were fixed parallel to each other. Now according to my invention I
arrange the tools so as to work helically or obliquely whereby I get a lateral
and longitudinal stretch, which is necessary for operating on smaller pieces of
feather. Another improvement in this kind of machine consists in an arrange-
ment for controlling the arm that carries the tools, so that I can increase or
diminish the nipping power of the arm while the machine is in motion and by
this means I am able to work on lighter or heavier skins or leather and also
to work better on damaged skins as the tools are enabled to pass over holes.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine Fig. 2 a front view and Fig. 3 a part
sectional plan Figs. 4 and 5 show details of the slotted connecting rod in eleva-
tion and in plan. Fig. 6 is a part side elevation of another arrangement of
upper tool arm, Fig. an end view, Fig. 8 a horizontal section and Fig. 9 a
vertical section. Fig. 10 is a part side elevation of another modification of
arrangement of upper tool arm Fig. 11 a plan, Fig. 12 a plan section, Fig. 13 a
vertical section. Fig. 14 is a part side elevation of yet another modification,
Fig. 15 a plan and Fig. 16 a plan section.
The machine to which these my improvements refer consists mainly of a head
or block which has two pivotted arms fitted with tools on an upper jaw arm and
a lower jaw arm articulated to the block; the head or block is moved backwards
and forwards by a connecting rod and crank pin to which latter is jointed a rod
which is made in one with a cam that bears on a roller, the rod is at its other
end jointed to two toggle joint links that are jointed respectively to the upper
and the lower jaw, all so arranged that the jaws are closed during the backward
movement of the head or block and operate on the skin.
The machine has a frame C with standards C2 for carrying a table C³ for the
skin or hide. C is a platform between the standards; it is hollowed to act as a
guide for the head or block C5 which has two pivotted jaw arms.
The upper
one C preferably carries a roller tool C and slicker C2 which is adjustable for
working on the skin. The other jaw arm C8 carries two plates C and C10 over
which the skin is pushed by the operator so that the tools C7 and C¹² can act
upon it. Reciprocating motion is given to the head C³ by a connecting rod B
from a crank pin B6 in a disc or flywheel B' on the shaft 138 supported in
bearings B on the frames C¹. On the pin B6 is fixed a cam B2 and on it is
mounted the connecting rod B4 with slot end B. The shaft B8 has fast and loose
pulleys B13 and B. The other end of the connecting rod B is jointed to the
head C by the toggle joint links B15 to which the jaw arms C and Cs are also
jointed. On motion being given to the disc or flywheel B the head C5 advances
on the platform C while at the same time the jaw arms C and C are caused to
open to receive the skin. On the return motion of the head C5 the arms are
closed, thus gripping the skin and causing it to be softened. I prefer to use
a spring stud arrangement such as B16 (or a double action cam on the stud B6)
to assist the action of the connecting rods.
The means for increasing or diminishing the nipping power of the tools on
the skin while the machine is in motion are as follows:-
On the standards C2 are fixed two brackets D and D¹, wherein a slide D² is
guided having inclined projections D³ on its upper surface; a table D having
corresponding projections D5 rests upon the inclined projections D³. The table
is prevented from moving lengthwise or crosswise by projections D6 which pass
through slots in the slide 12 and engage with the brackets D and D¹. The
bracket D has two bearings D for a spindle D8 carrying the loose quadrant D⁹.
This latter has a crank 10 which by a link D is connected to a lug on the
slide D2. Thus when the workman turns the quadrant D in one direction or
the other the slide D2 is moved and its incline projections D³ lift or lower the
table D. The pin E to which the connecting rod B and toggle links B15 are
attached, is made with that part of it on which the rod B works, eccentric to
that on which the links B15 work. The rod B and links B15 are free to turn
on the pin E to which is fixed a forked lever E¹ carrying a friction roller E²

page_text: adapted to run on the table D' as the head C³ is reciprocated. When the table D*
is raised the lever E¹ causes the eccentric pin E to partially turn about the eye
of the rod B as a centre. This causes the toggle links B15 to operate on the
jaw arms C and C and thus increase the pressure of the tools carried thereon.
By reversing the position of the exentric on the pin E the same motion may be
arranged to relieve the pressure of the tools. The lever E¹ may be held down
upon the table D' by a spring fixed to the head C. By putting the eccentric
pin E in the place of the pin F which joints the connecting rod B₁ to the head C5
the same action will take place as described.
Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show an arrangement by which the connecting rod B* can
be omitted, and yet the pressure of the tools can be adjusted. The end of the
connecting rod B₁ has two projections G G. The arms C and C are pivotted
on the pin E eccentrically to each other. The arms C and C8 are prolonged
beyond the pin E and carry two suitably curved dies G¹ and G. The prolonged
ends of the jaw arms C and C8 are connected by adjustable springs G³ which tend
to open the tool carrying ends of the jaw arms. As the connecting rod B¹ is
moved it assumes inclined positions alternately above and below the centre thus
causing the projections G G to turn around the pin F, and so act against the
dies G and G that as the rod B passes the dead centre on completing its forward
stroke the projections G G come against the higher portions of the dies thus
forcing the prolonged or shorter ends of the jaw arms C and C8 further apart
and causing the tools to grip the skin. As the rod B¹ passes the dead centre at
the other end of the stroke the projections G G are inclined in the opposite
direction and act upon a lower part of the dies G¹ and G thus allowing the short
ends of the jaw arms to be pulled together by the springs G³ and releasing the
tools from the skins. The adjustment is effected as before by a vertically mov-
able table D which causes a forked lever E' fixed to the eccentric pin E to turn.
The bearings of the arms C6 and C8 being eccentric to one another are thus
brought closer together and the tools made to exert greater pressure on the skin.
A spring may be used above the lever E¹ to ensure its bearing against the table D*
when the latter is lowered.
In Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 the adjustment is effected by moving the dies G
and G which are made movable in the ends of the arms C6 and C8 on their
pivots E is fixed a double armed lever G connected with the dies G¹ and G2 by
links G. When the lever E' is moved by the before described mechanism, the
lever G is also moved and forces the dies G¹ and G2 along the arms C and C8
so as to bring a higher portion of the arm over the projections G G and the
shorter ends of the jaw arms are forced further apart and more pressure is put
upon the tools. The springs ensure the return of the parts when the table D¹
is lowered.
In Figs. 14, 15 and 10 the connecting rod B₁ is continued beyond the pin E
and serves to open the jaw arms while the springs G³ close them. The dies G¹
and G and projections G G act as before explained the adjustment is effected as
in Figs. 6 to 9 by an eccentric pin E operated as there described or as in Figs. 10
to 13. The projections are fixed on the pin F as is also the connecting rod B¹
so as to turn therewith.
In Figs. 17, 18, 19 and 20 the upper jaw arm C carries the roller C7 and
slicker also an additional tool C which is set angularly and partly enters
between two similarly set tools C3 and C4 carried by the lower jaw arm C³.
These tools C13 C1 and C5 may have short blades as C₁ on them which may be
set at varying angles as shown in Fig. 21 so as to stretch the skin in several
directions. The lower arm C8 is provided with the slicker C10 as before. In
Fig. 20 the blades C3 C4 are shown with rounded angles and an additional
tool C is provided. The dotted lines in Figs. 19 and 20 indicate the position
of the tools C in the upper jaw arm C6 when working on the skin.
My next improvement consists in employing two rotating cylinders provided
with working surfaces or blades of such a form as to work out the leather or

page_text: skin in two directions at the same time and so as to offer a large number of
points of action. These cylinders or working rollers are so arranged as to be
movable (whilst rotating) in any desired direction that is to say towards or away
from each other. In combination with these rollers I employ rollers for drawing
away the skin against the pulling action of the blades on the cylinders, as
described in my Complete Patent Specification No. 12413 of 1897.
Fig. 22 is an end view of a machine for softening or setting out skins, hides,
leather or the like and Fig. 23 a front view; Fig. 24 shews its two working
rollers, Fig. 25 is an end view of same, Fig. 26 is a diagram shewing the angles
of the blades and Fig. 27 a detail view. The working roller A provided with
helical blades A¹ and short blades A² set at varying angles as shewn in Fig. 23,
is on a shaft 131 which runs in bearings in the frames B B. These frames also
have bearings for the shaft B3 having fast and loose pulleys 133 and B4 and a
spur wheel B5 which gears with a spur wheel B6 fixed on the shaft B¹ thus
causing the working roller A to rotate. In the frames B' are two spring bear-
ings B which carry an india rubber roller B38 that is driven in the opposite direc-
tion to that of the working roller A by a pinion B in gear with the wheel B.
CC are two frames free to swing on the shaft 12; they carry in adjustable
spring bearings C₁ a working roller A3 having blades A4 A5 of the same kind
as those of the working roller A and arranged to enter partly into the spaces
between the blades A2 A2 on the lower roller A, as shewn in Fig. 25.
The shaft 13 carries also a spur wheel 1310 which through an idle wheel Bч
carried on the swinging frame C drives the spur wheel B2 fixed on the shaft of
the working roller A³ thus causing the latter to rotate in a direction opposite to
that of the working roller A.
The frames C also carry in spring bearings C³ an india rubber roller C, which
by a pinion B15 gearing with the spur wheel B12 is driven in the opposite direction
to that of the working roller A
The frames B carry a shaft D on which is mounted a foot lever D₁ that by
means of links D2 connected to lugs D³, on the frames C acts when depressed,
to bring the working roller A³ and the rubber roller C down against respectively
the working roller A and the rubber roller 18. The balance weights C* normally
hold up the rollers A³ and C². The frames C carrying the rollers A³ and C
are prevented from swinging too far back by the screws C5 in lugs on the
frames C acting on the foot lever D¹. Thus when the frames C and the rollers A³
and C² are held up by the balance weight C, a skin may be passed from the
table E over the roller B8. Then when the foot lever I) is depressed, the link D³
pulls the frame C and brings the rollers 138 and C2 together which then begin
to draw the skin outwards again while at the same time it is being worked on
both sides by the blades on the working rollers A and A³ and softened and
stretched. The spring bearings 17, C1 and C3 are made adjustable so that the
requisite pressure may be obtained between the nipping rollers BB and C to draw
the skin out against the pulling action of the working rollers A and A³. The
blade edges may be made wavy as shewn in Fig. 27.
The blades on the cylinder A³ have a sharp or turned up edge, while the
blades on the cylinder A have rounded edges and act as a cushion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In machines of the character described in the preamble the application and
use of means for adjusting the pressure of the tools upon the skin, hide, leather
or the like during the operation of the machine substantially as set forth.
2. The improved construction of machine for treating skins, hides, leather or
the like, and particularly for softening or setting out, as described with reference
to Figs. 1 to 16.

page_text: 3. The means for adjusting the pressure of the tools upon the skin as shewn
in Figs. 1 to 16 of the drawings.
A
The construction and arrangement of the tools as described with reference
3. The means for adjusting the pressure of the tools upon the skin as shewn
in Figs. 1 to 16 of the drawings.
4. The construction and arrangement of the tools as described with reference
to Figs. 17 to 21 and 24 to 27.
5. The construction of machine described with reference to Figs. 22 to 27.
Dated this Ninth la
1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.