Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Leather from Leather Waste and Scraps, and in the Utilization of the same, and in Machinery Employed therefor.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 20th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 24th Feb., 1888
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Leather from
Leather Waste and Scraps, and in the Utilization of the same,
and in Machinery Employed therefor.
I HENRY HOUSE of the Common, Ripon, in the County of York, Patentee, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is the utilization of leather waste, cuttings, scraps, and
the like, by the manufacture therefrom of a substance more or less resembling and
approaching to leather in texture and composition, and which can be applied to a
variety of purposes in the arts and manufactures.
Hitherto various attempts at the utilization of leather waste and scraps have been
made, and attended with more or less want of success, owing to the complicated
nature of the processes or treatment, and in some cases owing to inherent defects in
the processes or means adopted. Now one of the objects of my improvements is to
simplify as much as possible the manufacture, and consequently to lessen the cost of
such artificial leather.
My improved process of manufacture is as follows :-
I take the properly screened Leather Waste and Scraps, free from foreign
substances, and pass them through a disintegrating machine; the object of which is
to reduce the leather to a fibrous powder. For this purpose I prefer to use a
disintegrating machine in which the surface of the knives, blades, or other rending
parts is formed after the fashion of a rasp, and arranged to work in opposite directions;
so that in disintegrating the leather, the fibrous nature is preserved and retained as
much as possible.
I next take the so-prepared fibrous leather powder and amalgamate it thoroughly
with a mixture of naphtha solution of Rubber (caoutchouc). The leather fibre and
the above mixture are incorporated together in the proportion of about 56 parts of
leather fibre to 40 parts of the mixture. When these are thoroughly incorporated ].
add about 2 parts of glycerine and knead the whole up into a dough. This kneading
may be effected by hand or by machinery, the object being to ensure the interlacing
of the leather fibre without pounding or breaking up the same.

page_text: For making artificial Solid Leather I take the dough, say at 8 o'clock a.m., (so as
to finish work at about 6 o'clock p.m. the same day), and place it in iron moulds or
frames preferably about 1 inches by 3 ft. by 2 ft., or other suitable size, and
afterwards ram down hard to about 1 inch in thickness. The cake so formed is then
turned out on to a wire tray of the above dimensions, and left for two hours to partly
dry after which it is put into damp canvass or cotton sheeting, and the whole
passed two or three times through rollers with about ths inch space.
I prefer to
make one of the rollers projecting, and the other correspondingly recessed, so that a
sharp and uniformly thick edge is produced as the dough like mixture passes through
the rolls. The sheeting is then stripped off the rolled cake, which is again allowed
to stand for about 2 hours for partly drying, and every 2 hours during the day again
passed two or three times through the rollers without any covering, and the following
morning and night, and the second day following morning and night, I repeat the
rolling the cake being each time of rolling reduced in thickness, which operation
is repeated until the desired thinness and finish is attained, which is about the fourth
day from the commencement of the process.
The material is then ready for drying and storing preparatory for use for such
articles as inner soles, shoe lifts, and various other parts of boots and shoes.
In place of the above mentioned rollers I purpose sometimes using a roller and
plate, or only press plates forced together by screw, hydraulic, or other pressure.
For making Leather Cloth I use the material prepared as above described direct
from the kneading trough, by rolling the dough on to canvass, or cotton sheeting, or
flannel, or other similar suitable covering, in short or long lengths as may be desired.
The operation of rolling, especially as to time, is much the same as that already
described for making solid leather.
The following are some among the many purposes for which leather cloth
manufactured in accordance with my improvements can be employed. Seatings for
chairs, sofas; bags draught screens, floor coverings, book-binding, desk and table
tops, knife-boards, sock soles, table mats, inner soles, shoe lifts or heels, horse cloths,
carriage aprons, etc.
By various more or less known mechanical operations, I utilize the artificial leather,
(manufactured as above described,) for the manufacture of floor cloth, knife boards,
seating, table mats, wall coverings, draught screens, wall decorations for smoking
rooms, libraries &c. ; desk tops, horse cloths, carriage aprons, the inner parts of soles
and heels of boots, sock soles and various other purposes for which leather is now
used, and especially where a water-proof or damp-proof material is required.
It will be understood that the proportions of the various ingredients above given
are intended merely as approximations which I have found to answer well in practice,
and not as proportions which should be rigidly adhered to, as the variation in the
quality of the raw materials sometimes necessitates corresponding variation in other
details.
Dated thin 19th def A 1007

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
from
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Leather
Leather Waste and Scraps, and in the Utilization of the same,
and in Machinery Employed therefor..
I HENRY HOUSE of the Common Ripon in the County of York, Patentee do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of my Invention is the utilization of leather waste, cuttings, scraps.
and the like, by the manufacture therefrom of a substance more or less resembling
leather in texture or composition; and which can be applied to a variety of purposes
in the arts and manufactures.
Hitherto various attempts at the utilization of leather waste and scraps have been
made, and attended with more or less want of success, owing to the complicated
nature of the process or treatment, and in some cases owing to inherent defects in
the processes or means adopted. Now one of the objects of my Improvements is to
simplify as much as possible the manufacture, and consequently to lessen the cost of
such artificial leather.
My improved process of manufacture is as follows. I take the properly screened
leather wastes and scraps, cleansed and free from foreign substances, and pass them
through a disintegrating machine; the object of which is to reduce the leather to a
fibrous powder. For this purpose I prefer to use a disintegrating machine, in which
the surface of the knives, blades or other rending parts is formed after the fashion
of a rasp, and arranged so that any two opposing surfaces work in opposite directions ;
disintegrating the leather in such a manner, that the fibrous nature is preserved and
retained as much as possible.
A disintegrating machine to work as above described, may consist of a pair of
rollers moving in opposite directions or in the same direction, but with different
surface velocities; so that the leather scraps and waste are gradually fed through the
machine. The rending surfaces of the rolls are formed with teeth like a rasp, the
faces of the teeth facing in opposite directions.
To make artificial solid leather, the fibrous leather powder thus obtained is
thoroughly mixed with a naphtha solution of rubber (caoutchouc). The leather fibre
and the above mixture or solution are incorporated in the proportion of about
56 parts of leather fibre to 40 parts of the mixture or solution. When these are
thoroughly incorporated about 2 parts of Glycerine are added, and the whole kneaded
up into a dough. This kneading may be effected by hand, or by machinery, the
object being to ensure the interlacing of the leather fibre without pounding or
breaking up the same.
A machine to effect this operation, is best formed after the manner of an automatic
drug mortar and pestel, the motion being a continuous circular rubbing, and not a

page_text: The mode of manufacturing such aforesaid artificial solid leather is as follows
Supposing work to commence at 8 a.m in order to finish at about 6 p.m the same
day; the dough is first taken and placed in iron moulds or frames, preferably about
36 ins. x 24 ins. x 1½ ins., or other required size, and afterwards rammed hard
down to about two thirds (i.e. 1 inch) in thickness. The cake so formed is then
turned out on to a wire tray of the above dimensions, and left for two hours to partly
dry; after which it is put into damp canvass or cotton sheeting, and the whole passed
two or three times through rollers; one of which is made projecting and the other
correspondingly recessed, so that a sharp and uniformly thick edge is produced. The
sheeting is then stripped off the rolled cake, which is again allowed to stand for
about 2 hours for partial drying. This operation of rolling and partial drying,
without any covering, is repeated every two or three hours during the next two or
three days; the cake being each time of rolling reduced in thickness, until the
desired thickness (resp. thinness) and finish is attained; which is about the fourth
day from the commencement of the process. The material is then ready for drying
and storing, preparatory to use for such articles as inner or middle soles, shoe lifts,
and other parts of boots and shoes, harness, etc.
The before mentioned rollers are pressed together by springs, weighted levers, or
other suitable arrangements.
In place of the above mentioned rollers I purpose sometimes using a roller and
plate, or only press plates, pressed together by spring, screw, hydraulic or other
pressure.
For the manufacture of Leather Cloth, the material is prepared as above described,
with the exception however that glycerine is not employed, but larger or less
quantities of the india-rubber solution are used according to the thinness and
flexibility desirable in the cloth for the purpose for which it is intended to be used.
The material is spread by hand on the canvass or cotton sheeting or other suitable
fabric, in long or short lengths, as may be desired. Suitable machinery, (preferably
an india-rubber spreading machine,) may however be used. The spread material is
then passed through rollers and steam callenders, such rollers being regulated in
pressure according to the desired thickness of cloth to be produced. The spreading,
rolling, and finishing are done at one operation. The cloth is then hung to dry,
(requiring usually about 48 hours), after which it may be used in its natural colour;
or it may be dyed after being previously impressed, embossed, or stamped, in
imitation of Memel, Levant, Crocodile, Alligator or other leather designs. It is then
ready for use for various purposes for which leather and other leather cloths may now
be used; such as seatings for chairs, sofas and carriages, travelling bags trunks,
draught screens, floor cloths, bath and toilet mats, book binding, desk and table tops,
knife boards, sock and inner soles, boot and shoe work, carriage aprons, leggins,
gaiters, slippers, horse cloths, table mats, dressing cases, music rolls, etc.
.
Leather Cloth intended to be used for making sock soles, I prefer to manufacture
specially. A little pigment, by preference yellow ochre, is added to the above mixture
to give a fixed colour, (without dyeing), and a smooth and finished appearance. The
mixture is spread on the flannel, and further operations are as above described in
the manufacture of leather cloth. When the cloth is dry, the sock soles are stamped
out in the usual manner.
By various more or less known operations, I utilize the artificial leather (manu-
factured as above described,) for most of the articles above mentioned for which the
leather cloth may be employed; also wall coverings and decorations, and various
other purposes for which leather is now used, and especially where a water proof or
damp proof material is required.
It will be understood that the proportions of the various ingredients above given
are intended merely as approximations, which I have found to answer well in practice,
and not as proportions which should be rigidly adhered to; as the variations in the
quality of the leather cloth required necessitates corresponding variations in the details.
A similar qualification also applies to the mechanical operations, or manipulations of
the process.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1° In the manufacture of artificial solid leather from leather waste and scraps;
the treatment of the suitably prepared leather powder with a naphtha solution of
rubber, and afterwards with glycerine; also the subsequent operations of rolling or
pressing, and partial drying; all substantially as herein set forth.
2° The use of artificial solid leather, manufactured according to Claim 1°, in the
manufacture of the herein-before mentioned and similar articles for which leather may
now be used.
3° The manufacture of artificial leather cloth by treating fibrous leather powder
with a naphtha solution of rubber, and the subsequent operations of spreading on
canvass or other fabric, rolling and finishing, substantially as herein set forth.
4° The use or application of artificial leather cloth manufactured according to
Claim 3°, in the manufacture of the herein-before mentioned articles, and similar ones
for which artificial leather cloth may now be used.
5° The manufacture of artificial leather cloth intended specially for sock soles, by
the treatment of a mixture of fibrous leather powder and naphtha solution of rubber
with any suitable pigment, and the operations of spreading on canvass rolling and
finishing; all substantially as herein set forth.
6° The use of artificial leather cloth, manufactured according to claim 5°, in
the manufacture of the herein-before mentioned and similar articles for which this
cloth may now be used.
7° For disintegrating leather waste or scraps, the use of rollers with different
surface speeds, and rasp like surfaces, the teeth of such rasp like surfaces, where the
latter touch the leather waste or scraps, facing in opposite directions, substantially
as herein set forth.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
Agent for Applicant.