IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER DRIVING BELTS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James McIntosh, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Tanner and Currier, for the Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER DRIVING BELTS."
Sealed the 17th September 1859, and dated the 5th July 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James McIntosh at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th July 1859.
I, JAMES MCINTOSH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Tanner and Currier, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER DRIVING BELTS," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
This Invention has for object the manufacture or preparation of leather
driving belts, in such a way as to render such belts stronger and more
durable than they are as ordinarily made. And in practising the Invention
the raw bide used for the formation of belting, after having the bair taken off
by any of the usual processes, is cleaned to free it from all impurities, and is
then immersed in a strong solution of any tanning material, oak bark being
preferred. It is next immersed and properly handled in a strong solution of
alum and common salt, or sulphuric acid and salt; or alum and sulphuric acid

page_text: or soda may be used, or other alkalis and acids, or it may be immersed first
in the alkali and acids, and then in the tanning materials, or they may be
mixed together. After being thoroughly tanned by these processes, the hides
are taken out and curried in the usual way, when they are ready for making
into strapping. The straps are then made in the usual way by cementing the
joints with gutta percha, india-rubber, or other cements; and if made double,
one or more plies of canvas may be introduced if thought proper, and the
whole be cemented together by gutta percha, india-rubber, or other cements,
or a ply or layer of gutta percha may be introduced.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James McIntosh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MCINTOSH, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Tanner and
Currier, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James McIntosh, Her special licence that I, the said James
McIntosh, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said James McIntosh, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER DRIVING BELTS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, tho said James McIntosh, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 I, the said James M°Intosh, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for object the manufacture or preparation of
leather driving belts, in such a way as to render them stronger and more
pliable and durable than as ordinarily made, and consists in treating the bide
or leather for such belts with saline or acidulous solutions, in addition to sub-
jecting it to the ordinary preparatory processes, or some of them. And in
order that my said Invention may be properly understood and carried into
effect, I shall particularly describe the modes of applying the same which I.
find to be most suitable in practice, as follows:-The raw hides for the forma-
tion of belting, after having the hair removed by any of the usual processes,
and being cleansed in the ordinary way to free them from all impurities, are
immersed and properly handled in a strong solution of tanning material, oak
bark being preferred. The hides are next immersed in a strong solution of
alum and common salt, in which they are properly handled to insure the
uniform action of the solution. The strength of the solution may be varied
in different cases, but as an average example, it may be mentioned that a
suitable solution is formed by taking three parts by weight of alum, with one
part of salt, and a quantity of water sufficient to render the specific gravity
equal to about 50° of Twaddell's hydrometer. A solution of sulphuric acid
and salt may be used instead of that just described, or the solution may
contain a mixture of alum or sulphuric acid and soda, or a mixture of any
acid and alkali having a similar action; the solution in all cases being made
of about the strength indicated in the case of the alum-and-salt solution.
The hides may be treated with the saline or acidulous solution before being
tanned, and the ingredients of the solution may be dissolved and applied
separately, either before or after the tanning process; the combined solution,
however, being preferred. After being thoroughly tanned and tawed by the
processes described, the hides are curried in the usual way, which renders
them ready for making into belting. The belts are made in the usual way, by
cementing the joints with gutta percha, caoutchouc, or other cement; and if
made double, one or more plies of canvas may be introduced if thought proper,
and the whole be cemented together by gutta percha, caoutchouc, or other
cement; or a ply or layer of gutta percha may be introduced.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I have to state that
I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein-before described, and that
I do not claim to bave invented every separate detail herein-before described;

page_text: but that what I consider to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the
treating of hides for the formation of leather driving belts with saline or
acidulous solutions, substantially in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James McIntosh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT, Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square, Glasgow.
JAMES M. INTOSH. (L.S.)