An Improved Process for Treating Skins and Hides.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Lelt, 12th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Treating Skins and Hides.
We, JOHN PULLMAN, WILLIAM ROBERT PULLMAN, and ARTHUR PULLMAN,
all of Greek Street, Soho Square, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
In the manufacture of leather it is necessary to remove from the skins grease and
greasy substances or oil where oil has been used in their preparation, and for this
purpose benzine or other light hydrocarbon oils or spirits have sometimes been used,
but we have found that skins so treated have become injured, and are liable to
become so hardened and stiffened as to be of little or no value.
Where skins are dressed or treated with oil, after the oil has been extracted it has
also sometimes heretofore been the practice to soak such skins in a solution of soap,
and when saturated to expose them to a temperature below 32 degrees Fahrenheit,
the action of the cold being to render the skins very soft and supple.
Now our present invention has for its object the combination of the two processes
above described; that is to say, we treat skins or hides with benzine or other light
hydrocarbon oil or spirit for the purpose of removing grease and greasy matters,
and we afterwards saturate the skins or hides so cleansed with a solution of ordinary
soap, and then submit the cleansed skins or hides so saturated to a temperature
below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for a sufficient time.
Instead of a solution of soap in water as described plain water may be used, or
preferably a solution of rock ammonia in warm water, the ammonia tending to
remove any trace of grease that may be left after treatment with benzine as
described above.
By the novel treatment described leather is obtained of excellent quality, and
very soft and supple.
We do not confine ourselves to any precise proportions of the materials used, or
time required, which may be varied more or less to suit different circumstances and
conditions.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Treating Skins and Hides.
We, JOHN PULLMAN, WILLIAM ROBERT PULLMAN, and ARTHUR PULLMAN,
all of Greek Street, Soho Square, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers, 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, that is to say :-
In the manufacture of leather it is necessary to remove from the skins grease and
greasy substances, or oil where oil has been used in their preparation. For this
purpose benzine or other light hydro-carbon oils or spirits of the like kind have
sometimes been used, but we have found that the quality of skins so treated has
become deteriorated, and they are liable to become so hardened and stiffened as to
be of little or no value.
Instead of using benzine for the purpose described, it has also sometimes hereto-
fore been the practice, especially where skins are dressed or treated with oil, and
after the oil has been extracted, to expose the skins to a temperature below
TD 017

page_text: 32° Fahrenheit, the skins having been first soaked and saturated in a solution of
soap, the effect of the freezing, being to render the skins very soft and supple.
Our present invention has for its object an improved process consisting of the
combination of the processes above described:-that is to say, the removing of the
grease and greasy substances or oil from the skins by means of benzine or other
hydro-carbon, and the subsequent exposure of the skins to a freezing temperature.
When the hydrocarbon has been removed or dried out from the skins before they
are submitted to the freezing treatment, they may be saturated or treated with a
solution of ordinary soap or other analogous material, and are then exposed to the
freezing temperature.
Instead of a solution of soap in water, where such treatment is adopted, plain
water may be used, or a solution of rock ammonia in warm water, the ammonia
tending to remove any trace of grease that may be left after the treatment with
benzine or other hydrocarbon as already described.
By the improved process described leather is obtained of excellent quality and
very soft and supple.
We do not confine ourselves to any precise proportions of the materials used, or
time required, which may be varied more or less to suit different circumstances and
conditions; and any suitable vessels and apparatus may be used for treating the
leather in the way described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In the treatment of leather, the combination of processes consisting of, first,
submitting the leather to the action of benzine or other hydrocarbon of the like
kind, and second, submitting the leather so treated to a temperature of or below
32° Fahrenheit, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In the treatment of leather, the combination of processes consisting of, first,
submitting the leather to the action of benzine or other hydrocarbon of the like
kind; second, drying out the benzine or other hydrocarbon; third, saturating the
leather so treated with a solution of soap, or with water, or with a solution of
ammonia in water; and finally submitting the leather so treated to a temperature of
or below 32° Fahrenheit, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 12th day of December 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.