IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF WASH LEATHER FOR MANUFACTURE INTO WEARING APPAREL."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Sutton Evans, of Sawston, in the County of
Cambridge, for the lavention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF
WASH LEATHER FOR MANUFACTURE INTO WEARING APPAREL." A communi-
câtion from abroad by the late Richard Lazenby, of New York, in the United
States of America, and Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, England.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Sutton Evans at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st November 1877.
"
"
THOMAS SUTTON EVANS, of Sawston, in the County of Cambridge. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF WASH LEATHER FOR MANUFACTURE INTO WEARING
APPAREL. [A communication from abroad by the late Richard Lazenby, of New
York, in the United States of America, and Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
England.]
It is well known that chamois leather or wash leather, as it is more commonly
called, possesses the property of retaining heat, and that from its softness and
pliability it is well adapted for manufacturing into garments, but from the fact of
its resisting ventilation it has proved inapplicable for under garments. Now the
object of this Invention is so to treat skins of chamois or wash leather as to render
them porous, and thereby provide for the escape of perspiration when such fabrics
are worked up into under clothing. To this end 1 take a plate of hard metal of any
desired dimensions, and fit in the face thereof small steel punches equidistant from
each other, and, say, at about an inch apart, more or less. The plate thus fitted
will form either a fixed or stationary die, which I apply to a screw or other press. The
bed, or it may be the traveller of this press, I face with lead or other suitable
material to receive the impress of the cutting edges of the punches, and the leather
Price 8d.1

page_text: to be operated upon I place in the press, laying it out evenly so as to present it
fairly to the action of the punching plate or die. I then set the press in action, and
stamp holes in the leather of a size and in positions corresponding to the punches.
By this means I obtain at a small cost, and without interfering materially with the
strength of its texture, a fabric which will possess the heat-retaining qualities of the
soft leather, and will offer no obstruction to the free passage of air or vapour
through it.
Skins thus prepared I propose to manufacture into under shirts, chest protectors,
drawers, socks, and other like articles of apparel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Sutton Evans in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st May
1878.
"IMPROVE-
THOMAS SUTTON EVANS, of Sawston, in the County of Cambridge.
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF WASH LEATHER FOR MANUFACTURE INTO WEARING
APPAREL." A communication from abroad by the late Richard Lazenby, of New
York, in the United States of America, and Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
England.
It is well known that chamois leather or wash leather, as it is more commonly
called, possesses the property of retaining heat, and that from its softness and
pliability it is well. adapted for manufacturing into garments, but from the fact of
Now the
its resisting ventilation it has proved inapplicable for under garments.
object of this Invention is so to treat skins of chamois or wash leather as to render
them porous, and thereby provide for the escape of perspiration when such fabrics
are worked up into under clothing. To this end I form fine holes in the fabric in
such manner that they will have no tendency to close up, but will, by remaining
open so long as the fabric is in use, provide an efficient means for ventilation; these
holes I form by preference in the following manner:-I take a plate of hard metal
of any desired dimensions, and fit in the face thereof small steel punches equidistant
from each other, and, say, at about an inch apart, more or less. These punches may
be arranged in groups to ventilate portions only of the skin where ventilation is most
required in the garment manufactured therefrom, or the punches may be so arranged
as to ventilate equally the whole surface of the fabric. The plate thus fitted will
form either a fixed or stationary die, which I apply to a screw or other press. The
bed, or it may be the traveller of this press, I face with lead or other suitable
material to receive the impress of the cutting edges of the punches, and the leather
to be operated upon I place in the press, laying it out evenly so as to present it
fairly to the action of the punching plate or die. I then set the press in action, and
stamp holes through the leather of a size and in positions corresponding to the
punches. By this means I obtain at a small cost, and without interfering materially
with the strength of its texture, a fabric which will possess the heat-retaining
qualities of the soft leather, and will offer no obstruction to the free passage of air
or vapour through it.

page_text: Skins thus prepared I propose to manufacture into under shirts, chest protectors,
drawers, socks, and other like articles of apparel.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in the Pre-
paration of Wash Leather for Manufacture intoWearing Apparel," as communicated
to me from abroad, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters l'atent I claim,
preparing skins of wash leather, as above described, whereby when manufactured
into wearing apparel ventilation will be secured without impairing the strength of
the fabric.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Thomas Sutton Evans, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twentieth day of May,in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
THOMAS SUTTON EVANS. (L.S.)