IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING HIDES AND SKINS AND PELTS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Granville and Illius Augustus Timmis,
both of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING HIDES AND SKINS AND PELTS."
Sealed the 21st May 1875, and dated the 22nd February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Granville and
:
Illius Augustus Timmis at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 22nd February 1875.
We, ARTHUR GRANVILLE and ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS, both of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING HIDES AND SKINS AND
PELTS," to be as follows:-
The principal objects of our Invention are,--
First. To remove the hair or wool from hides or skins.
Secondly. To cleanse the pelt after removal of the hair or wool as
a substitute for the present methods of "liming," "puring," and
drenching," and to make the pelt into tawed or into white leather, or
to prepare it for the usual tanning process.
60

page_text: First. We stove the skins in the usual manner, and employ petro-
leum, shale spirit, or other liquid hydrocarbon to preserve the hides or
skins from tainting or decomposing by painting the flesh side (or even
by dipping) previously to introducing them into the stove, or by other-
wise applying the hydrocarbon thereto either before or after they are
hung up in the stove, or we take off the hair or wool by painting the
skins with sulphide of lime, as mentioned in the Specification of Letters
Patent, No. 2540, granted to Arthur Granville and Edwin Eli Johnson,
dated July 25th, A.D., 1873. As is well known the hair or wool becomes
loosened either by the application of the sulphide of lime or by the
sweating process in the stove, and may then be removed in the usual
manner, and the application of petroleum, shale spirit, or other hydro-
carbon in the sweating process, as above described, will preserve the hide
or skin from tainting or decomposing.
Secondly. After the hair or wool has been removed from the hide or :
skin in this or or any other convenient manner we treat the pelts with
petroleum, shale spirit, or other liquid hydrocarbon, either by painting
or by immersion, instead of employing the present methods of "liming,"
puring," and "drenching," and we use the petroleum, shale spirit, or
other liquid hydrocarbon either in connection with sulphide of lime, or a
other sulphide, or by itself. The great benefits arising therefrom are
increased pliability and strength.
"T
We apply the above substances (when convenient) under pressure
either by hydraulic, atmospheric, or other mechanical means. We find
the strength of pelts is increased to such an extent by the use of the 2
substances herein-before mentioned, and in the manner herein-before
described, that "lashing laces" sufficiently strong for ordinary use can
be made from sheep skins instead of from hides, as heretofore.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Arthur Granville and Illius Augustus Timmis in 30
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ARTHUR
GRANVILLE and ILLIUS AUGustus TIMMIs, both of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, send greeting.
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page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five,
in the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Arthur Granville and
Illius Augustus Timmis, Her special license that we, the said Arthur
Granville and Illius Augustus Timmis, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Arthur Granville and
Illius Augustus Timmis, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING HIDES AND SKINS
AND PELTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Arthur Granville and Illius Augustus Timmis, our executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Arthur Granville and Illiús
Augustus Timmis, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say:-
The improvements constituting our Invention are in part based upon
those which were described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to me Arthur Granville and Edwin Eli Johnson, dated July Twenty-
fifth, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three, but it is to be noted that while in these present improvements
agents similar to those referred to in said Specification are employed'
they are employed differently to produce different results, being attended
with great advantages that have not been heretofore obtained.
The objects of our present Invention are to preserve the pelt during
the removal of the hair or wool from hides and skins, and also to
complete its preparation after removal of the hair or wool by employing
as a substitute for the present methods of "liming," "puring," and

page_text: drenching," our improved method of treatment herein-after described,
so as to make the pelt into tawed or into white leather, or to prepare it
for the ordinary tanning process, to which it may be directly submitted.
In carrying out our present improvements we first stove the skins in
the usual manner, and we employ petroleum, shale spirit, or other liquid
hydrocarbon, or the vapour therefrom in such a manner as to preserve
the hides or skins from being injured by their becoming tainted or
decomposed; this we effect by painting the flesh sides of the skins with
the said spirit, or by dipping them therein previously to introducing
them into the stove, or by otherwise applying the said spirit or liquid
hydrocarbon thereto, either before or after they are hung up in the stove,
either in the form of a liquid or the vapour given off from the liquid.
After the hair or wool has been removed from the hide or skin in the
manner above mentioned, or in any other convenient manner, we proceed
to treat the pelts with petroleum, shale spirit, or other liquid hydro-
carbon, or the vapor therefrom, either by painting, or by immersion in
the liquid, or by applying the vapour from the liquid in any convenient
manner. We find that this treatment effects the preparation of the skins
for the tanning process in a very efficient manner, at the same time that
time, labor, and expense are economized, as it successfully obviates the
necessity of employing the present methods of "liming," "puring," and
drenching." The great benefits arising therefrom are that besides the
advantages in the manufacture above mentioned the products will have
increased pliability and strength.
We apply the above substances to the skins (when it is found to be
necessary or convenient) under pressure, either by hydraulic, atmospheric,
or other mechanical means.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim
as our Invention,―
Firstly. The treatment of hides or skins by applying, in the manner
and for the purpose substantially as herein described, petroleum, shale
spirit, or other liquid hydrocarbon, or the vapor therefrom, so as to
preserve the same from tainting or decomposing during the sweating
process employed for removing the hair or wool, and also to complete
the preparation of the hide or skin for the tanning process.

page_text: Also we claim treating pelts after the hair or wool has by any ordinary
or known process been removed from them by employing, substantially
as herein described, petroleum, shale spirit, or other liquid hydrocarbon,
or the vapour therefrom, as a substitute for the ordinary process of
liming," "puring," and "drenching."
In witness whereof, I, the said Illius Augustus Timmis, on behalf
of the said Arthur Granville and myself, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witnessed by
ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS. (L.S.)
GEORGE DAVIES, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.