IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BURRING' AND WASHING SHEEP SKINS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Tiley Plenty, of Bristol, in the County of
Gloucester, Leather Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR BURRING' AND WASHING SHEEP SKINS."
Scaled the 1st December 1874, and dated the 4th June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tiley Plenty
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th June 1874:
I, JOHN TILEY PLENTY; of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester,
Leather Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR 'BURRING' AND WASHING SHEEP SKINS,"
to be as follows:-
Two horizontal cylinders are mounted in suitable bearings provided in
standards by which the apparatus is supported, and in which bearings
the before-mentioned cylinders are free to revolve upon the application
of a suitable motive power.
The cylinders are constructed of any desired and suitable daiameter,
and are respectively provided with eight double edged knives or cutting

page_text: blades fixed longitudinally and in a tangential manner on the surfaces
thereof, the distance between the cylinders being regulated by screws as
well understood.
A slab or table is suspended by suitable means so as to be capable of
being moved vertically by cranks or other appliances, as well understood,
up and down between the cylinders. The skins are stretched on and
fixed to the respective sides of the slab or table, and the cylinders being
caused to revolve in contrary directions at a high rate of speed, the
knives or cutting blades thercon act upon the wool and free the same
from the "burrs" attached thereto.
The water requisite for washing the wool during the operation is
supplied by means of pipes perforated with small holes, through which
the same plays, or is projected upon the skins during the upward and
downward motion of the slab or table.
Any suitable motive power may be employed for the purposes of this
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
-
filed by the said John Tiley Plenty in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TILEY PLENTY, of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester, Leather Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eiglit hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Tiley Plenty, Her special
licence that I, the said John Tiley Plenty, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Tiley Plenty,
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

page_text: "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR 'BURRING' AND WASHING SHEEP SKINS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Tiley Plenty, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly 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 immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Tiley Plenty, do hereby.
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the annexed
Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say :-
My said Invention consists in certain improvements in the construc-
tion of apparatus whereby sheep skins can be more advantageously freed
from burrs and washed, than by the means previously employed for such
purposes.
Two horizontal drums or cylinders are mounted in suitable bearings
provided in standards, by which the apparatus is supported, and in which
bearings the before-mentioned drums or cylinders are free to revolve
upon the application of a suitable motive power, as will be well
understood. :
The drums or cylinders are constructed of any desired and suitable
diameter, and are respectively provided with eight knives, which are
fixed longitudinally on the surface thereof, the distance between the
drums or cylinders being regulated by screws as well understood.
A frame is suspended by suitable means so as to be capable of being
moved vertically by cranks or other appliances as well understood, up and
down between the drums or cylinders. The skins are placed on the
frame, and the cylinders being caused to revolve in contrary directions
at a high rate of speed, the knives thereon act upon the wool, and free
the same from the "burrs" attached or adhering thereto.
The water requisite for washing the wool during the operation is
supplied by means of pipes, which are perforated with small holes, and
through which the same plays or is projected upon the skius during the
upward and downward motion of the frame.

page_text: Any suitable motive power may be employed to actuate the apparatus
herein-before described.
I'will now refer to the annexed Drawings from which the nature of
my said Invention will be more clearly understood.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Figure 2, a side elevation of the
apparatus.
A is the frame, across which the skins are placed, the same being
covered with perpendicular strips of canvas and india-rubber combined.
The two drums or cylinders are shewn at B, B; the same are respectively
composed of iron and provided with eight horizontal knives. Upon the
motive power being applied and the machine actuated, the before."
mentioned frame and the skins thereon are thereby caused to work
vertically between the two drums or cylinders. The latter revolve in
opposite directions, and the knives thereon completely cleanse or free
the wool as it passes between them from "burrs." The water employed
for washing the wool as herein-before mentioned, is supplied from the
perforated pipes shewn at c, c, above the drums or cylinders.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore
claim as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction of apparatus
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described and set
forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tiley Plenty, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said John Tiley Plenty in
the presence of
CHA. HOLLIN PRICHARD,
At Bristol.
JOHN TILEY PLENTY. (L.S.)