IMPROVEMENTS IN TANNING HIDES AND SKINS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick George Vedova, of Smyrna, Asia Minor, at
present residing at the Queen's Hotel, Saint Martin's-le-Grand, in the County
of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TANNING HIDES AND
SKINS."
(Void by reason of the Patentee having neglected to file a Specification in
pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick George Vedova at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th August 1880.
FREDERICK GEORGE VEDOVA, of Smyrna, Asia Minor, at present residing at
the Queen's Hotel, Saint Martin's-le-Grand, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TANNING HIDES AND SKINS."
The object of this Invention is to enable hides and skins not only to be tanned
in a shorter space of time than by the tanning processes now commonly employed,
but also to obtain a greater weight of leather.
Heretofore in the ordinary process of tanning the hides or skins have been
soaked in pits containing a solution of tannin material, and in order to cause the
tannin material to act upon the skin throughout its substance the skins have had
to be frequently moved to and fro in the pits, or have been lifted out and again
deposited into them.
Stout hides require to be treated in this way for several months before they are
tanned throughout their substance.
Various suggestions have from time to time been made with a view to hasten
the action of the tannin solution upon the skins. With this object the skins have
been rolled over and over in closed revolving vessels containing tannin solution, in
other cases the hides have been immersed in solution which has then been put
under pressure, and in other cases the skins have been alternately exposed to a
vacuum and then soaked in tannin solutions. None of these processes are entirely
satisfactory, as although the time occupied in tanning is reduced, yet the leather
obtained is usually inferior, and the cost of the process often greater.
According to my Invention I am enabled to cause the skins to be quickly and

page_text: uniformly saturated with tannin solution throughout their entire substance, and
when the tannin material in such solution has been taken up by the skin, I am
further enabled to free the skin from such weakened solution, and to again recharge
the skin with fresh solution, and this I effect in a very simple and expeditious
manner.
After the skins have been prepared in the ordinary manner and are ready for
tanning, I subject each skin to a squeezing operation, either by passing it between
revolving nipping rollers, or by placing it on a bed and passing it under a roller,
or by subjecting it to the action of stampers or beaters or other suitable squeezing
mechanism, whereby the water in which the skins have been soaked is expressed
from them. The skins are then placed into a pit containing tannin solution, and
after being allowed to soak in the solution for a short time they are taken out and
again passed between squeezing rollers or acted upon by other squeezing mechanism,
whereby the solution in the skin is caused to penetrate the skin uniformly
throughout its substance, whilst at the same time the bulk of the liquid is expressed
from the skin. The skins are then again placed in a pit containing tannin solution,
and after being allowed to soak for a time in such solution they are again taken
out and again passed between squeezing rollers, or acted upon by other squeezing
mechanism, and so on, until the skin is completely tanned. The process of tanning
can thus readily be effected in a few days instead of months, as heretofore, and
not only so, but the weight of leather obtained will be greater than by the old
tanning process.