IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Mercer, of Cambridge, in the United States
of America, temporarily resident at Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Currier, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
LEATHER."
Sealed the 30th September 1858, and dated the 31st March 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Mercer at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st March
1858.
I, JAMES MERCER, of Cambridge, in the United States of America, tem-
porarily resident at Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Currier, do,
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE.
MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER," to be as follows:-
For
. This Invention relates to those processes in the manufacture of leather
known as scouring and stuffing, and in the method of currying the same. To,
effect this I use a drum or closed cylinder hung upon its axis and give it a
rotary motion at suitable distances; inside are a number of pegs; I then.
expel the atmospheric air by the application of heat and rotary action.
scouring I put the leather to be treated into the drum after being well soaked
in warm water and soap, and by agitation caused by the drum revolving, it
will be thoroughly washed and cleansed in about a quarter of an hour; the
leather being thus prepared is ready for "stuffing." For this purpose I put

page_text: it into the same or a similar drum along with a quantity of stuffing heated to
a certain temperature, and by setting the drum in motion as before, in about
half an hour the leather will have absorbed the stuffing to a much greater
extent than by the ordinary process of currying, thereby causing the leather
to weigh heavier, to be more durable, and nearly impervious to water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Mercer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
September 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MERCER, of Cambridge, in the United States of America, temporarily resident
at Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Currier, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her, most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Mercer, Her special licence that I, the said James Mercer, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Mercer, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Mercer, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Mercer, 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 :-
My Invention consists of a method by which leather is made of a superior.
quality, closer in texture, much "fuller in substance, more flexible, com-
paratively impervious to moisture, retaining its softness in use, consequently.

page_text: not liable to crack. The improvements are in those processes known as
"scouring" and "stuffing," and will be clearly understood, reference being had
to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings and to the letters thereon.
"
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a drum or mill used in my processes; Fig. 2 is
a side sectional elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 a transverse section also of
the same.
After the "hides" or "pelts" have been properly "shaved," they
are immersed in warm water, and after soaking are placed in the drum or
mill a, supported on the frame 6 with warm water and soap, or other softening
or cleansing ingredients. The drum is then set in motion by the bell c or
other power, the "hides" or "pelts" are carried up or round on the "pegs,"
boards," or their equivalents d fastened to the periphery of the drum until they
reach the top when they fall by their own weight. This continuous motion
has the effect of destroying the "bloom" of tanning, and the hides or pelts
after this process are easily cleansed by any of the known methods. After
scouring they are subjected to the process of "retanning" by sumac, terra
japonica, or other tanning material; and when tanned enough are again
scoured out and dried. When quite dry they are again moistened and allowed
to remain for a time before they undergo the process of "stuffing," which I
accomplish as follows:-Before the hides or pelts are placed in the drum or
mill I raise the temperature to a high point, say by the introduction of steam
at the axis e, by the pipe f, as shown, or other means. I gradually allow this
temperature to fall by allowing the steam to escape through the holes g, and
the condensed steam by the tap or plug h, or by removing the heating power.
The hides or pelts are then put into the drum a, by the door i, and the
"stuffing" or "composition," which is heated to a higher temperature than
the atmosphere in the drum, is poured in. The drum is then set in motion as
already described. After a sufficient time has been allowed the hides or pelts
to absorb all the "stuffing" they are taken out and set on a table the same as
"setting" before "stuffing" in the usual method. They are now hung up to
dry, after which they are ready for finishing. The heat in the hides or pelts
will aid greatly in drying, which is a great desideratum, and the leather thus
manufactured will be found of the quality afore-mentioned.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, I
desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact
details herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing
from the principle of the same; but what I claim as my Invention, and which
to the best of my knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used within the
realm, is, the revolving "drum" or "mill," with "pegs," boards, or their
equivalents on the inner periphery, in connection with the principle of atmo-

page_text: spheric air and stuffing heated to certain temperatures all for the purposes
described and herein. set forth..
In witness whereof, I, the said Jamés Mercer, have hereunto set my
.. hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Before me,
JOHN T. KING,
Patent Agent,
4, Clayton Square, Liverpool.
JAMES MERCER. (L.S.)