AN IMPROVED MODE OF TREATING HIDES AND SKINS PREPARATORY TO THE TANNING PROCESS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF TREATING HIDES AND
SKINS PREPARATORY TO THE TANNING PROCESS."-A communication from
abroad by A. D. Lufkin, of Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.
Sealed the 1st November 1860, and dated the 25th August 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th August 1860.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF TREATING HIDES
AND SKINS PREPARATORY TO THE TANNING PROCESS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the use of a liquid compound in which the skins
or hides are to be steeped for the purpose of removing the hair therefrom,
preparatory to subjecting them to the action of the tanning liquor, the object
being to expedite the process and improve the quality of the skins operated
upon. To this end a depilatory solution is prepared by intimately mixing
together sulphur, soda ash, or its equivalent, caustic alkali and lime,. and
adding water thereto. The hides and skins should be handled in this liquor
in nearly the same manner. as when limed, and until the hair will come off

page_text: easily. They are then to be withdrawn from the solution, and the hair is to
be removed in the usual way. The skins should next be thrown into clear
soft water, and after having been soaked and handled for a few hours they are
ready for fleshing. The subsequent operations may then be conducted in the
ordinary manner.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th February 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical. Draughtsman, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent; bearing date..the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Vincent.Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others,
as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF TREATING HIDES AND SKINS PREPARATORY TO THE
TANNING PROCESS," being a communication from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, 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) €1
This Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
relates to a mode of depilating hides and skins preparatory to tanning, by

page_text: the use of which the hair is not only removed in a shorter time than by the
usual liming process, but the skins when unhaired in this way will be left in a
soft and natural condition, requiring only washing in water and the usual
working upon the beam (the common method of bating being entirely un-
necessary) to make them ready for the tan liquor. To this end a compound
of sulphur (S), soda ash (Na O), and lime (Ca O) is first prepared in the
following manner :-Take equal quantities by weight of sulphur and soda ash,
triturate them thoroughly together, then add water enough to reduce them to
a thin plastic mass, continuing the triturating with a hoe or some suitable
tool until the two ingredients are fully mixed and united, producing a sensible
degree of heat by their chemical union; then take ten times the quantity by
weight of quicklime, that is, if one pound of sulphur, and one of soda ash is
used, take ten. pounds of quicklime and slake it in the usual way, adding water
thereto till it can be easily worked. While the lime is hot add to it the
sulphur and soda prepared as above, and work and mix the whole so completely
together that it will form a perfectly homogeneous pasty mass of a bright
straw color. The mixing should be so thorough that the combination-will be
complete. The exact proportions herein given are not essential, but may be
varied according to the purity and strength of the ingredients used. If it is
preferred, the soda ash can first be dissolved in water, and the sulphur
added to this solution, stirring it continually till the sulphur is dissolved.
The Inventor does not confine himself to the use of soda ash, as other forms
of caustic alkali will answer substantially the same purpose, the strength in
relation to the sulphur being about as before stated, that is, just enough to
dissolve the sulphur. This compound is made. into a depilating liquid as
follows:-For every ounce of the materials, estimated when dry, about two
gallons of water is used. Thus, one pound of sulphur, one of soda ash, and
ten of lime, equalling 192 ounces, will require about 384 gallons of water; but
for cleaning sheep skins the liquid may be used double the above strength. In
all cases the liquid should be strengthened occasionally when in constant use.
If the liquid is used for cleaning sheep skins from which the wool has been
taken by sweating, it will need to be changed once in about two months,
depending upon the strength and quantity of the liquid, the number of skins
treated, evaporation, &c. But when used for unhairing, it will not need
changing as often, it will improve by use. The compound must be thoroughly
mixed with water before using by "plunging up," in the same manner as
lime. Hides and skins should be handled in this liquid in nearly the same
manner as when limed, until the hair comes off sufficiently easy. After the
hair has been removed the skins should be thrown into clean soft water,

page_text: soaked, and handled for a few hours, then fleshed and washed, as before, after
which they should be worked on the grain once or more according to the con-
dition of the skins. The skins having been suitably prepared for the depilating
liquid, may, by this process, be made ready for the tan vat in three or four
days, but a much longer time in the liquid will do no harm, as the action is
almost exclusively on the hair glands, leaving the skin in a better condition to
make soft, pliable, and tough leather, with more weight than can be produced
by the usual process of liming and bating..
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improved
Mode of Treating Hides and Skins Preparatory to the Tanning Process, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim,
treating hides and skins préparatory to the tanning process by a depilating
solution, prepared substantially in the manner above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane..
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)