IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR USE IN TANNING HIDES AND SKINS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR USE IN TANNING HIDES AND SKINS a communication to me from
abroad by Emile de Solminihac, of Hénant (Finistère) France to be as follows:- .
This Invention relates to an improved apparatus for rapidly tanning hides and
skins by utilising centrifugal action for causing the penetration of the 'tanning
material through the pores of the hide or skin.
The apparatus consists essentially of a horizontal or vertical skeleton drum or
cylinder formed of wood bars or clothed with wire gauze made of some metal which
is not acted on by the tannin upon the circumference of which the hides or skins are
held and stretched either by means of another envelope of wire cloth and secured
by clips or the hide or skin may itself be secured to the drum by clips. A layer of
felt is interposed between the drum and the hide or skin for the purpose of
retaining as much as possible of the tanning liquid in contact with the latter and
cause it to slowly penetrate by the continuous action of centrifugal force.
The Invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings
which represent a horizontal drum, Figure 1 being a sectional elevation showing
the drum within its casing with its driving gear and the preferred arrangement for
supplying the tanning liquid, Figure 2 a cross section of the drum and casing, and
Figure 3 a cross section of the drum shaft. The same letters of reference indicato
the same parts in the several figures.
a is a tubular horizontal shaft mounted to rotate in bearings in standards firmly
fixed in a foundation of masonry formed with a catch basin or trough b. Upon
said shaft is mounted a long cylinder or drum A constructed of two or more cast
iron spoked rings g which are either coppered or sheathed with sheet copper or
other metal to protect the iron from the tanning liquor. The periphery c may
either consist of wire cloth made of copper or alloys of the same or other metal not
Prior 032

page_text: liable to be acted upon by the tannin, or it may be formed of open work constructed
of bars of wood, copper, or other metal or material placed at suitable distances
apart.
The heads of the drum are furnished with holding clamps f on their periphery
for the attachment of the clips by which the external envelope of wire gauze f¹ for 5
retaining the hide or skin in place, is held.
The shaft a is made tubular from point a to the middle of the drum, the bore
being about half an inch in diameter and terminating in a radial hole at z. The
tubular part of the shaft is lined with copper pipe d (see figure 3) about
60 thousandths of an inch in thickness which is also provided with a copper union 1
at the point x. The shaft a is also covered with a copper sheathing d' to protect
the iron from contact with the tanning liquor. The part of the shaft a contained
within the drum is surrounded at a distance by a copper tube perforated throughout
its length, by means of which the tanning liquor is projected and distributed by
centrifugal action. The size of the perforations should be such that the quantity of 1
liquor discharged will be less than that supplied by the tubular shaft. This
external perforated tubular casing surrounding the shaft is soldered at each end to
the rings g and its internal diameter is such as to leave a spaco of from half to five-
eighths of an inch between it, and the shaft a. h is a reservoir for the tanning
liquor placed at a higher-level-than-the-drum, the liquor being supplied to the
drum by a copper pipe connecting-with-the-hollow-shaft at a into which the
liquor is discharged by a copper jet nozzle on the end of said pipe about which
the shaft turns.
To prevent the vibration which is almost inevitable, affecting the pipe k and
causing accidents, the copper pipe terminates-at vand-is connected with the jet
nozzle by an indiarubber or other flexible pipe.o is a cock-on-pipe for regulating
the quantity of liquor-supplied-to-the-apparatus.
A strainer made of copper wire gauze is placed in the reservoir to prevent any
impurities which the tanning liquor-may-contain from passing down and obstructing
the perforations through which it is distributed.
The drum is enclosed in a casing of sheet copper or it may be a wood framing
covered with canvas against which the tanning liquor is projected by the centrifugal
action of the drum and is collected in the trough 6 whence it is returned to
reservoir h by a pump.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The hides or skins to be fanned
being in a proper state of preparation, are spread upon the felt covering of the
drum and are covered with the wire cloth f, the two ends of which latter are
secured by the clamping bar a' and secured by the bolts ff. The drum is then
rotated at a high speed and a tanning liquor of suitable strength contained in h is
then supplied and projected through the orifices in the perforated tube around the
shaft against the felt which absorbs it, the centrifugal force causing the liquor to
pass through both the felt and the hides under treatment. After a certain time
depending on the speed of rotation of the drum, the hides become completely
saturated with the tanning liquor and the operation is terminated,

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR USE IN TANNING HIDES AND SKINS" (a communication to me
from abroad by Emile de Solminihac of Hénant, (Finistère) France,) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
'
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for rapidly tanning hides and
skins by utilising centrifugal action for causing the penetration of the tanning
material through the pores of the hide.or skin.
The apparatus consists essentially of a horizontal or vertical skeleton drum or
cylinder formed of, wood. bars or clothed with wire gauze, made of some metal
which is not acted on by the tannin, upon the circumference of which the hides or
skins are held and stretched either by means of another envelope of wire cloth and
secured by clips or the hide or skin may itself be secured to the drum by clips.
A layer of felt is interposed between the drum and the hide or skin for the purpose
of retaining as much as possible of the tanning liquid, in contact with the latter
and cause it to slowly penetrate by the continuous action of centrifugal force.
A layer of felt may also be interposed between the hide or skin and the wire cloth
envelope which clamps it upon the drum for the purpose of preventing the marking
of the bide or skin by the wire meshes, but any other means of attaining this
result may be employed.
The Invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings
which represent a horizontal drum, Figure 1 being a sectional elevation showing
the drum within its casing with its driving gear and the preferred arrangement for
supplying the tanning liquid, Figure 2 a cross section of the drum and casing, and
Figure 3 a cross section of the drum shaft. The same letters of 'reference indicate
the same parts in the several figures.
-
a is a tubular horizontal shaft mounted to rotate in bearings in standards firmly
fixed in a foundation of masonry formed with a catch basin or trough b. Upon
said shaft is mounted a long cylinder or drum A constructed of two or more cast
iron spoked rings g which are either coppered or sheathed with sheet copper or
other metal to protect the iron from the tanning liquor. The periphery c may
either consist of wire cloth made of copper or alloys of the same or other metal not
liable to be acted upon by the tannin, or it may be formed of bars of wood, copper,
or other metal or material placed at suitable distances apart.
ارد.
The heads of the drum are furnished with holding clamps fon their periphery..
for the attachment of the clips by which the external envelope of wire gauze f1 for
retaining the hide or skin in place is held.
The shaft a is made tubular from point to the middle of the drum, the bore
being about half an inch in diameter and terminating in a radial hole at
The tubular part of the shaft is lined with copper pipe d (see figure 3) about
60 thousandths of an inch in thickness, which is also provided with a copper union
at the point. The shaft a is also covered with a copper sheathing d to protect
the iron from contact with the tanning liquor. The part of the shaft a contained
b
..
14
01. 8.

page_text: within the drum is surrounded at a distance by a copper tube perforated
throughout its length, by means of which the tanning liquor is projected and
distributed by centrifugal action. The size of the perforations should be such that
the quantity of liquor discharged will be less than that supplied by the tubular
shaft α. 3.
This external perforated tubular casing surrounding the shaft is
soldered at each end to the rings g and its internal diameter is such as to leave
a space of from half to five eighths of an inch between it and the shaft a.
The tanning liquor may also be introduced into the drum through a fixed tube a,
in which case in order not to weaken the shaft, the arrangement shown in figure 4
would be preferably adopted, the shaft being formed of two parallel rods b b,
whose journals c alone are made tubular, for the passage of tube a. The tube is
perforated on the underside only, and as it does not revolve with the shaft, the.
tanning liquor falls upon the skin as it successively passes beneath the tube.
h is a reservoir for the tanning liquor placed at a higher level than the drum, the
liquor being, supplied to the drum by a copper pipe la connecting with the hollow
shaft at x into which the liquor is discharged, by a copper jet nozzle on the end of
said pipe, about which the shaft turns.
To prevent the vibration which is almost inevitable, affecting the pipo aud
causing accidents, the copper pipe terminates at vand is connected with the jet
nozzle by an indiarubber or other-flexible-pipe.-o-is-a-cock-on-pipe k for regulating
the quantity of liquor supplied to the apparatus.
A strainer made of copper wire gauze is placed at the upper part of the
reservoir h to prevent any impurities which the tanning liquor may contain from
passing down and obstructing the perforations through which it is distributed.
The drum is enclosed in a casing of sheet copper or it may be a wood framing
covered with canvas against the tanning liquor is projected by the-centrifugal-
action of the drum and is-collected in the trough 6 whence it is returned to
reservoir by a pump.
The-skins-before-being-placed-on-the-drum-are.smeared_over_on_the_flesh side
with concentrated tannin in a pasty condition. This operation is repeated a certain
number of times, care being taken every time the skin is removed from the
apparatus for the purpose of applying a fresh layer of the tannin pasto, to steep it
in a weak filtered tanning solution for a sufficient time to ensure the skin being
properly plumped for the tanning operation. The hides will also absorb tallow
applied in the same way.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The hides or skins to be tanned
being in a proper state of preparation, are spread upon the felt covering of the
drum and are covered with the wire cloth f', the two ends of which latter are
secured by the clamping bar a' which are secured by the bolts f. f. The drum is
then rotated at a high speed and a tanning liquor of suitable strength contained
in h is then supplied and projected through the orifices in the perforated tube
around the shaft against the felt which absorbs it, the centrifugal force causing the
liquor to pass through both the felt and the hides under treatment. After a certain
time depending on the speed of rotation of the drum, the hides become completely
saturated with the tanning liquor and the operation is terminated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st The improved apparatus herein described for the rapid tanning of hides and
skins, in which centrifugal action is employed in a horizontal or vertical cylinder
for impregnating hides or skins placed either on the internal or external
circumference of said cylinder, with tanning liquors, whereby they are progressively
tanned throughout their thickness in an extremely short space of time, sub-
stantially as specified.
2nd The apparatus herein described, consisting of a hollow horizontal or vertical
drum or cylinder, perforated or not, to receive the hides or skins which are secured

page_text: thereon by means of clips or by an envelope of copper or other suitable wire cloth,
the shaft of the drum being made hollow for the supply of tanning liquor and
discharging it into a tubular perforated casing surrounding said shaft, the whole
arranged and operating substantially as shown and described.
3rd The combination with a horizontal or vertical drum having a solid or
perforated periphery and driven by a shaft at variable speeds by means of cone
pulleys, of a reservoir placed at a higher level for the tanning liquor, which is
supplied therefrom to a tubular perforated casing surrounding the shaft within the
drum, of an external casing for preventing waste of the liquor thrown off by the
centrifugal force and a catch basin to receive said liquor, all substantially as
described for the purpose specified.
4th The process herein described of tanning hides and skins, consisting
essentially in coating the flesh side from time to time with concentrated tannin
in a pasty condition, and the application of the same process for tallowing hides.
5th The method of preventing the hides or skins from being marked or injured
by the wire covering of the drum, by interposing felt or other material between
them or otherwise, as described.