IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR PRESERVING AND WATERPROOFING OLD AND NEW LEATHER, HIDES, AND SKINS, EITHER TANNED OR UNTANNED, CANVAS, STRING, CLOTH, AND OTHER FIBROUS AND FILA- MENTOUS MATERIALS.
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Browne, of the Firm of Browne and Company,
Patent Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR PRESERVING AND
WATERPROOFING OLD AND NEW LEATHER, HIDES, AND SKINS, EITHER TANNED
OR UNTANNED, CANVAS, STRING, CLOTH, AND OTHER FIBROUS AND FILA-
MENTOUS MATERIALS.***** A communication from abroad by Louis Dissés-Leroy,"
of Paris, in the French Republic
ealed the 4th July 1876, and dated the 6th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Browne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, on the 6th January 1876.
ค
ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of
5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVED
PROCESSES FOR PRESERVING AND WATERPROOFING OLD AND NEW LEATHER, HIDES,
AND SKINS, EITHER TANNED OR UNTANNED, CANVASS, STRING, CLOTH, AND OTHER
FIBROUS AND FILAMENTOUS MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Louis
Dissés-Leroy, of Paris, in the French Republic.
This Invention relates to improved processes for preserving and waterproofing
leather, hides, and skins, either tanned or untanned, canvass, string, old straps, or
traces, men's civil, military, and sea boots, harness, women's boots, stuff, cloth,
cordage, awning cloths, fishing nets and lines, and the like.
The following are examples of the means by which the objects of this Invention
may be effected.
First. To preserve and render waterproof skins that have neither been tanned
nor prepared, but only unhaired, I employ the liquid mixture No. 1, composed of
the following ingredients in the following proportions :-
Alum
Potash
Sea salt
-
5/10
-
2/10 parts,
3/10
mixed in a suitable vessel with a given volume of water. Let the hides or skins
remain in this liquid for 8 days at a temperature of 35 degrees of heat.
In operating upon hides or skins that have not been unhaired, they should be
Price AJ 1

page_text: left in the above liquid for 15 days, but in this case the liquid should be cold, after
which the skins are to be removed and stretched uniformly on wooden frames and
left for 2 days, after which they are to be removed from the said frames and placed
in the mixture No. 2, composed of the following ingredients in the following
proportions:-
raramne
Tallow -
Animal grease
Essence
1/10 parts.
1/10
4/10]
The hides or skins are to be plunged in the above mixture, and in about 10 or
12 minutes they will be completely permeated and rendered waterproof and
solidified. The above mixture is equally applicable for operating upon hides and
skins tanned with bark.
For new leather and straps made according to the present known methods.-In
order to strengthen them the same may be effected according to this Invention by
subjecting them to the action of the mixture No. 4, composed of the following
ingredients in the following proportions :-
HIDES WITH HAIR ON.
In operating upon these, first remove any flesh the butcher may have left on the
skin, then plunge the skins in the mixture No. 2 before described and let them
remain therein cold for 15 or 16 days; then plunge the skins in mixtures Nos. 2
and 2

page_text: MIXTURE NO. 5.
Animal grease and tallow 1/3 parte.
Essence of petroleum
-
2/35
Leave them in the above mixture from 15 to 20 minutes, then 5 or 6 hours after-
wards plunge them into cold water for some hours.
In operating upon leather which has become as hard as wood it is proposed to
place it in a mixture composed by mixing pure resin and essence together in equal
volumes.
In conclusion, it should be observed that according to the quantity and quality
of the leather or other material to be operated upon according to the improved
processes above described I add to each of the above-mentioned mixtures 1/20th
part of liquid gutta percha and 1/20th part of Swiss resin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th July
1876.
ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of
5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVED
PROCESSES FOR PRESERVING AND WATERPROOFING OLD AND NEW LEATHER, HIDES,
AND SKINS, EITHER TANNED OR UNTANNED, CANVAS, STRING, CLOTH, AND OTHER
FIBROUS AND FILAMENTOUS MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Louis
Dissés-Leroy, of Paris, in the French Republic.
This Invention relates to improved processes for preserving and waterproofing
leather, hides, and skins, either tanned or untanned, canvassing, old straps or braces,
men's civil, military, and sea boots, stuff, cloth, cordage, awning cloths, fishing nets
and lines, and the like.
The following are examples of the means by which the objects of this Invention
may be effected.
First. To preserve and render waterproof skins that have neither been tanned
nor prepared, but only unhaired, I employ the liquid mixture No. 1, composed of
the following ingredients in the following proportions :—
-
Alum
Potash
Sea salt
-
HIATURE NU. to
-
5/10
2/10 >parts,
3/10
mixed in a suitable vessel with a given volume of water. Let the hides or skins
remain in this liquid for 8 days at a temperature of 35 degrees of heat.
In operating upon hides or skins that have not been unhaired they should be
left in the above liquid for 15 days, but in this case the liquid should be cold, after
which the skins are to be removed and stretched uniformly on wooden frames, and
left for 2 days, after which they are to be removed from the said frames and placed
in the mixture No. 2, composed of the following ingredients in the following pro-
portions:-

page_text: little more salt and less alum. The hides after having been in the above liquid for
3 or 4 hours should be removed and placed in water..
To render waterproof hides and skins prepared as above described they should
be submitted to the action of the mixture No. 3, composed of the following
ingredients in the following proportions :-
Paraffine
Tallow -
Animal grease
Essence
2/10
1/10 >parts.
1/10
4/10 J
The hides or skins are to be plunged in the above mixture; and in about 10 or
12 minutes they will be completely permeated and rendered waterproof and
solidified. The above mixture is equally applicable for operating upon hides and
skins tanned with bark.
For new leather and straps made according to the present methods-In order
to strengthen them the same may be effected according to this Invention by sub-
jecting them to the action of the mixture No. 4, composed of the following
ingredients in the following proportions :—
1
1
and 3.
OLD LEATHER.
To operate upon old dry brittle straps cast off as useless, but that have not
been burnt. The same may be restored and made fit for use by plunging them in
the mixture No. 5, composed of: the following ingredients in the following pro-
portions:-
MIXTURE No. 5.
Animal grease and tallow 1/3)
Essence of petroleum
-
2/3
parts.
Leave them in the above mixture from 15 to 20 minutes, then 5 or 6 hours after-
wards plunge them into cold water for some hours.
In operating upon leather suitable for boots and shoes for soldiers and sailors,
and for harness, proceed as follows: Plunge the sole in the liquid No. 2 before
described, then a short time after plunge it in the liquid No. 3.
This liquid
penetrates the sewing, makes the vamp solid, so that moisture or wet cannot
penetrate. Notwithstanding the perspiration the boot: or shoe remains perfectly
sound.
For women's boots and shoes it is sufficient to spread with a brush liquid No. 2
over the sole and liquid No. 3 over the rest of the boot or shoe. The above process
is also applicable to cordage and other purposes.
C
It is to be remarked that the liquid No. 3 above described is applicable to any
leather tanned by the old process of tanning, and has the property of changing the

page_text: nature of the leather, so that the more it is exposed to the sun's rays the softer
and more supple it becomes, contrary to leather prepared by the old methods.
In operating upon leather which has become as hard as wood it is proposed to
place it in a mixture composed by mixing pure resin and essence together in equal
volumes.
In conclusion, it should be observed that according to the quantity and quality
of the leather or other material to be operated upon according to the improved
processes above described I add to each of the above-mentioned mixtures 1/20th
part of liquid gutta percha and 1/20th part of Swiss resin.
I would also remark that in lieu of the essences above mentioned (either mineral,
vegetable, or animal) etherized oil may be employed in the same proportions.
Having now described the nature of this Invention for improved processes for
preserving and waterproofing old and new leather, hides, and skins, either tanned
or untanned, canvas, string, cloth, and other fibrous and filamentous materials, as
communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I hereby declare this Invention
to consist in, and I claim the process and combination of the ingredients above
mentioned, and the manner of operating therewith, substantially as above described,
for effecting the objects of the Invention as above stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Browne, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six.
ALEX”. BROWNE (LS)