IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES For SHAVING SKINS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 30, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and British and Foreign
Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES For
SHAVING SKINS." A communication from abroad by Henry Alonzo House
and Samuel Dayton Castle, of the City of Bridgeport, in the County of
Fairfield and State of Connecticut, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd May 1881.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 36, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and British and Foreign Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SHAVING SKINS." A communication from
abroad by Henry Alonzo House and Samuel Dayton Castle, of the City of
Bridgeport, in the County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, in the United
States of America.
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of machine to
be driven by any suitable power for " fleshing" or shaving off the inner or fleshy
side of hides or skins before or after tanning, whereby the hand operations
heretofore required for " fleshing" skins are dispensed with, and the skins are
fleshed with ease and great rapidity, there being no chance of cutting too deeply,
whilst the smallest skins can be operated upon with facility.
The improved machine is mounted in a frame of any suitable form and size
according to the size of and arrangement for driving the cutter. This frame carries
the driving shaft, upon which are mounted the requisite drivers.
In bearings in an angular bracket at the upper part of the frame turns an
inclined shaft carrying a band pulley driven by a belt from one of the first
mentioned pulleys, and carrying also an annular cutter consisting of a disc or
wheel, to which is fitted adjustably a thin steel annular blade sharpened at the
outer edge.
Upon the frame is mounted a curved hood, cap, or fence, the inner edge of which
coincides with and extends nearly to the edge of the cutter, and is recessed to

page_text: receive a curved plate or throatpiece, with which is combined any suitable device
for moving it in or out to any required extent.
This plate is guided by shoulders and is provided with studs extending into
curved grooves in a segment plate adapted to slide in the cap, and moved in a circle
by means of a screw.
The sharp edge of the cutter should project beyond the throat piece a distance
proportioned to the thickness of the shaving to be removed, which removal is
effected by drawing the skin with its fleshy side down over the cap, at the same
time bringing it against the edge of the cutter.
The shavings are carried within the cap and are conveyed away by a thin metal
inclined trough extending down to a point where the shavings are discharged clear
of the machine.
In order to guard or prevent contact with the cutter wheel it is covered by the
before mentioned hood, cap, or fence, which may also cover the other working
parts so as to present a smooth unbroken surface at the top of the machine, thereby
facilitating the operations and preventing the access of shavings and dirt to the
working parts.
As the knife is apt to become quickly dulled, sharpening wheels or devices may
be combined with the machine so as to operate continuously on the edge of the
cutter.
The shafts of these wheels turn in swinging frames, which are adjustable by
means of screws extending to the outside of the cap.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th November 1881.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 36, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and British and Foreign Patent Agent.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SHAVING SKINS." A communication from
abroad by Henry Alonzo House and Samuel Dayton Castle, of the City of
Bridgeport, in the County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, in the United
States of America.
This Invention is a machine constructed to be driven by any suitable power
whereby to shave off the inner of fleshy side of hides or skins before or after
tanning. The common practice of fleshing skins is to scrape the inner faces with
knives by hand, an operation which is tedious and liable to result in injury to the
skins by cutting too deep. It is moreover difficult to operate effectively on small
skins.
By the machine hereinafter described these hand operations are dispensed with,
and the skins are fleshed with ease with great rapidity, there is no chance of
cutting too deeply, and the smallest skins can be operated on with facility.
In the Drawing Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of the improved shaving
machine showing one form in which it may be made.
Figure 2 is a plan, the cap and bonnet being removed.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation drawn to a larger scale.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a detached view of the cap showing the inside.
The frame A is of any suitable for and size, according to the size of and
arrangement for driving the cutter; as shown, it is provided with four standards
suitably braced and carrying the driving shaft B (Figure 1), upon which is a grooved
pulley a and band pulley b.
In bearings in an angular bracket at the upper part of the frame turns an
inclined shaft D (Figure 3) carrying a band pulley & driven by a belt from the
pulley b (shown in Figure 1) and an annular cutter E. The cutter consists of a
disk or wheel carrying a thin steel annular blade e, sharpened at the outer edge,
and secured adjustably to the disk so as to be set out as the cutting edge wears
away.
Upon the frame is mounted a curved cap F, the inner edge of which coincides
with and extends nearly to the edge of the cutter e, and is recessed to receive a
curved plate or throat piece f, with which is combined any suitable device whereby
it may be moved in or out to any required extent.
As shown, the plate f is guided by shoulders i, i, and is provided with studs
extending into curved grooves h in a segment plate G adapted to slide in the cap F,
and moved in a circle by means of a screw H turning in a stud ', and adapted to
a swivelling nut m on the segment, as shown in Figure 5. By turning the screw H
the throat piece may be adjusted readily and with precision, and is securely held
after adjustment.
The sharp edge of the cutter should project beyond the throat piece a distance
proportioned to the thickness of the shaving to be removed, which removal is effected
by drawing the skin with its fleshy side down over the cap F, bringing it against
the edge of the cutter, which as it revolves will rapidly sever a thin shaving without
any possibility of penetrating the material to an injurious extent.
The shavings are carried within the cap, and to prevent them from obstructing
the moving parts of the machine a thin metal inclined trough J is placed with its

page_text: upper end just back of the cutting edge (the cutter wheel being dished to admit it).
and the lower end extending down to a point where the shavings should be
discharged.
It is best, to prevent contact with the cutter wheel, to cover the latter, and a
hood K used for this purpose may also cover the other working parts, so as to
present a smooth unbroken surface at the top of the machine, facilitating the
operations, and preventing the access of shavings, dirt, etc., to the working parts.
As the knife is apt to become quickly dulled, and much time would be lost in
removing, sharpening, and replacing it, sharpening devices may be combined with
the machine so as to operate continuously on the edge of the cutter.
Thus two grinding wheels n, n¹, are arranged to bear one inside and the other
outside the cutter blade, and are driven in contrary directions by a cross belt s, the
wheel being driven from the grooved pulley a by a belt a' passing to a pulley on
the wheel shaft.
The wheel shafts turn in swinging frames W, W₁, which are adjustable by means
of screws t, t¹, extending to the outside of the cap F through oscillating nuts u on
studs s¹.
It will be apparent that the structure of the frame may be varied, that the cutter
may be enlarged or reduced in size, and other changes made without departing from
the main features of the Invention.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,
First. A shaving machine, consisting of a revolving sharp edged annular blade,
a throat piece, and supporting frame and driving appliances, substantially as set
forth.
Secondly. The combination of a carrying frame, an annular cutter, and driving
appliances, a cap carrying an adjustable throat piece, substantially as specified.
Thirdly. The combination with the revolving annular cutter of the throat piece
and sharpening appliances, substantially as set forth.
Fourthly. The combination of the revolving cutter, throat piece, cap, and trough J,
substantially as specified.
Fifthly. The frame A carrying the cutter and driving shafts in combination with
the cap F and hood K, substantially as specified.
Sixthly. The combination of the frame A, inclined shaft carrying the cutter E,
cap F carrying the adjustable throat piece f, and hood K, substantially as specified.
Seventhly. The combination of the cutter E, sharpening wheels n, n', and
shaft B driving both cutter and sharpening wheels, substantiaily as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER. (L.S.)