IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING LEATHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENDERING THE SAME WATER REPELLENT, WATER PROOF AND MORE DURABLE to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH GALE of 6 Upper Belgrave Road, Clifton, in the County
of Gloucester, Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
« IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING LEATHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENDERING THE
SAME WATER REPELLENT, WATER PROOF AND MORE DURABLE to be as follows :-
"
Under this invention, the leather, after having been saturated with water, is
placed in a vessel containing ammoniacal gas which gas becomes absorbed by the
wet leather.
When sufficiently permeated by the ammoniacal gas, the leather is removed from
the vessel aforesaid and is gradually partially dried. It is subsequently finished
by being passed, while still damp, between a pair of rollers.
Previously to being treated as above described, the leather may be cleansed by
being sponged with, or immersed in a bath of, alkaline solution. Soda, Soda ash,
bicarbonate of potash or other alkali may be used for this purpose.
Any discolouration resulting from the process may, if desired, be removed from
the leather before finishing.
1004
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: I, WILLIAM JOSEPH Gale, of 6, Upper Belgrave Road, Clifton, in the County
of Gloucester, Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention, for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING LEATHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENDERING THE
SAME WATER-REPELLENT, WATER-PROOF AND MORE DURABLE," and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement
Under this invention the leather to be treated is first soaked in water, preferably
made luke-warm.
For some classes of leather the water bath may be made slightly alkaline by
adding thereto soda, bicarbonate of potash or other alkali. The leather becomes
thereby cleansed and softened.
On removal of the leather from the water-bath, the surface water is allowed to
drain off and the leather is then placed in a closed box vessel or suitable chamber
charged with ammoniacal gas generated by any ordinary method. The gas may
"be conveniently obtained by placing liquid ammonia in a shallow vessel in the
chamber or other receptacle for the leather and the evolution of the gas will be
assisted by increasing the temperature of the liquid ammonia by any convenient
and suitable method or means, such as by heating the vessel by a flame brought to
bear on its underside.
When sufficiently permeated by the ammoniacal gas (freedom from visible or
surface moisture affords a guide in this respect) the leather is removed and placed
in a closed box, vessel or suitable chamber for a period of about 12 hours for gradual
partial drying.
Whilst still damp the leather is passed between copper rollers.
Thereafter it is placed in a box vessel or chamber free from draughts until it
is dry.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
Treating leather by soaking it in water and thereafter subjecting it to the action
of ammoniacal gas, and subsequently gradually drying it, substantially as described,
whereby the leather so treated tends to repel water and is rendered water-proof
and its durability is increased.
Dabad thin 11th day of December 1884