IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT AND UTILIZATION OF LEATHER SCRAPS OR WASTE AND AN IMPROVED MANU- FACTURE OF LEATHER RESULTING THEREFROM
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Clara Beatrice Warner of 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
AND UTILIZATION OF LEATHER SCRAPS OR WASTE AND AN IMPROVED MANU-
FACTURE OF LEATHER RESULTING THEREFROM partly her own invention and
partly a communication from Ljubomir Mestaniz of New York United States
of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Clara Beatrice Warner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st December 1883.
CLARA BEATRICE WARNER of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT AND UTILIZATION OF LEATHER SCRAPS OR
WASTE AND AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER RESULTING THEREFROM,
[partly a communication from Ljubomir Mestaniz of New York United States of
America]
This invention has for its object, improvements in the utilization of leather
scraps, or waste, so that the same may be made firmly to adhere in masses or
strips of any required size and pressed or rolled in sheets of any required thickness
to be when dried rendered available for many purposes as a substitute for ordinary
leather.
Heretofore artificial letter in its manufacture has required, the better pieces of
shavings or of whole skins, these to be pasted together, each layer as added to have
a roller applied so as to produce an even surface. If a pressure by power is used
to do the work more quickly or cheaply, the paste is squezed out and as a general
rule, the product is of inferior quality or a pulp is first made of the leather scraps
and rolled out in sheets in form and consistency like pasteboard. This product is
objectionable because not of sufficient strength-Or if it is made superior in strength
or durability the process is costly.
This invention overcomes such difficulties the adhesive material used not being
squeezed out though most of the water it contains, requires to be eliminated by
pressure and as the compound of such adhesive material and of the scraps or
shavings or waste cuttings of leather can be so pressed, the fibre is not disturbed
or broken up as when they are first reduced to pulp. It can be pressed or rolled

page_text: out in leather board of any required thickness, so that it has needed strength.
The process is more economical and of useful results than any of those heretofore
devised and has this advantage that any kind of scraps shavings or waste cuttings
may be used. The sheets of artificial leather can be cut or formed of any desired
shape and can be used in shoe or boot making for inner soles, heel stiffenings for
the upper layers of heels, shanks, toe pieces and in other arts for trunks covers of
books, albums & for horse and other brush backs for wall and floor coverings and
wherever a cheap leather is desired.
The method or process by which these improvements in the manufacture of
artificial leather is gained is as follows.
First. The scraps, shavings and waste leather such as are obtained from shoe and
belt factories, saddleries and carriage trimming shops and from other trades as well
as scraps of hides, old shoes &°, are first rid of all dirt and foreign substances and
cleansed, then softened by diluted glycerine the surplus of which is squeezed with
the hand or other appliance and then impregated with a solution of caseine as
hereinafter described.
Second. After being so impregnated by soaking for several hours, the mass is
strained so as to get rid of the surplus of caseine solution and then fed and passed
through corrugated rollers, which compact and stress the match, linking the
scraps &. While so passing through the mass as treated with a fine spray of a
weak solution of alum or acetic hydrochloric or other cheap acid until there appears
on the surface a fine skin of a bluish tint, which is evidence of the needed separation
of water from the Caseine.
Instead of the dilute acid solution the acid may by suitable contrivance be
applied in the form of gas or vapour.
Third. After the mass is so passed through the corrugated rollers and these must
be of larger or smaller corrugations as the material is of large or small scraps, it is
then passed through plain rollers set at successively diminishing distances. The
sheet is thereafter subjected to a heavy hydraulic or other pressure.
Fourth. The sheet of letter so finally pressed is placed in a drying room and
slowly dried. It is then ready for cutting or moulding slightly softened to any
desired pattern.
But if it is desired that the leather should be pliable, it is then sponged over
with glycerine and passed through a pair of rollers.
Fifth. To make the solution of caseine firstly mentioned above, any ordinary
Cheese even if refuse, or any commercial caseine may be taken, first, to be boiled in
water usually froin ten to twelve times its volume (though less or more water may
be used and when the boiling point has been reached caustic soda is to be added
in sufficient quantity to dissolve the whole of the cheese or caseine The amount
of caustic soda will vary with different kinds of cheese or caseine used and to be
experimentally determined. Or the caseous matter is to be dissolved with aqua
ammonia or fresh slacked lime and if the latter is used the solution is to be brought
up only from 120° to 130° Fahr.-The solution is then to be cooled to about
90° Fahr. and then separated from all impurities by straining. Silicate of Soda
diluted in water may then be added in slight quantity if the material is desired to
be hard and much exposed to Atmospheric influences and dampness. The lime
treatment as above stated is generally used for heel pieces
It will be understood that I do not bind myself absolutely to the temperatures
and minute details above set forth.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Clara Beatrice Warner in the Patent Office on the 30th June
1884.
CLARA BEATRICE WARNER of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT AND UTILIZATION OF LEATHER SCRAPS OR
WASTE AND AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER RESULTING THEREFROM."
[Partly her own invention and partly a communication from Ljubomir Mestaniz
of New York United States of America]
This invention has for its object, improvements in the utilization of leather
scraps, or waste so that the same may be made firmly to adhere in masses or strips
of any required size and pressed or rolled in sheets of any required thickness, to
be when dried rendered available for many purposes as a substitute for ordinary
leather.
Heretofore artificial leather in its manufacture has required the better pieces of
shavings or of whole skins, these to be pasted together each layer as added to have
a roller applied so as to produce an even surface. If a pressure by power is used
to do the work more quickly or cheaply the paste is squeezed out and as a general
rule the produt is of inferior quality. Or a pulp is first made of the leather
scraps and rolled out in sheets in form and consistency like pasteboard. This
product is objectionable because not of sufficient strength. Or if it is made
superior in strength or durability the process is costly.
This invention overcomes such difficulties the adhesive material used not being
squeezed out, though most of the water it contains requires to be eliminated by
pressure and as the compound of such adhesive material and of the scraps or
shavings or waste cuttings of leather can be so pressed, the fibre is not disturbed
or broken up as when they are first reduced to pulp. It can be pressed or rolled
out in leatherboard of any required thickness so that it has needed strength. The
process is more economical and of useful results than any of those heretofore
devised and has this advantage that any kind of scraps shavings or waste cuttings
may be used. These sheets of artificial leather can be cut or formed of any desired
shape and can be used in shoe or boot making for inner soles; heel stiffenings for
the upper layers of heels shanks, toe pieces and in other arts for trunks covers of
books albums etc. for horse and other brush backs for wall and floor coverings and
wherever a cheap leather is desired.
The method or process by which these improvements in the manufacture of
artificial leather is gained is as follows.-
First The scraps shavings and waste leather such as are obtained from shoe and
belt factories saddleries and carriage trimming shops and from other trades as well
as scraps of hides old shoes etc are first freed of all dirt and foreign substances and
cleansed then softened by diluted glycerine the surplus of which is squeezed out
by hand or by suitable appliance and then impregnated with a solution of caseine
as hereinafter described.
:
Second After being so impregnated by soaking for several hours, the mass is
strained so as to get rid of the surplus of caseine solution and then fed and passed
through corrugated rollers which compact and stretch the mass linking the
scraps etc. While so passing through the mass is treated with a fine spray of a
weak solution of alum or acetic hydrochloric or other cheap acid until there
appears on the surface a fine skin of a bluish tint which is evidence of the needed
separation of water from the caseine.
Instead of the dilute acid solution the acid may be suitable contrivance be
applied in the form of gas or vapour,

page_text: Third After the mass is so passed through the corrugated rollers and these must
be of a larger or smaller corugations as the material is of large or small scraps
it is then passed through plain rollers set at successively diminishing distances.
The sheet is thereafter subjected to a heavy hydraulic or other pressure
Fourth. The sheet of leather so finally pressed is placed in a drying room and
slowly dried. It is then ready for cutting or moulding (after being slightly
softened) to any desired pattern.
But if it is desired that the leather should be pliable it is then sponged over
with glycerine and passed through a pair of rollers
Fifth. To make the solution of caseine hereinabove mentioned any ordinary
cheese even if refuse or any commercial caseine may be taken it first to be
boiled in water usually from ten to twelve times its volume (though less or more
water may be used) and when the boiling point has been reached caustic soda is
to be added in sufficient quantity to dissolve the whole of the cheese or caseine.
The amount of caustic soda will vary with different kinds of cheese or caseine used
and is to be determined experimentally. Or the caseous matter is dissolved with
aqua ammonia or fresh slacked lime and if the latter is used the solution is to be
brought up only from 120° to 130° Fahr. The solution is then cooled to about
90° Fahr. and separated from all impurities by straining Silicate of soda diluted
in water may then be added in slight quantity if the material is desired to be
hard and much exposed to atmospheric influences and dampness. The lime.
treatment as above stated is generally used for heel pieces
It will be understood that I do not bind myself absolutely to the temperatures
and minute details above set forth.
Having now described the said invention and the manner of performing the
same I claim
First. The process for treating cheese or caseine so as to form a material suited
to the agglutination of leather scraps cuttings and waste as above set forth
Second. The process for the chemical and other treatment of leather scraps
cuttings and waste after their admixture with the treated cheese or caseine as
above set forth.
Third The process and combination for the manufacture of an artificial leather
by chemical and other agents and mechanical devices as above set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Clara Beatrice Warner have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty eighth day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
TADA
DEATDIOR WARNED (ra)