A New or Improved Process for the Production from Skins or Hides of a Substitute for Whalebone Horn, or the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1894-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Process for the Production from Skins or
Hides of a Substitute for Whalebone Horn, or the like.
I, FRIEDRICH HARTMANN of 221, Friedrichstrasse Berlin, Prussia, in the
Empire of Germany Leather Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The present invention has for its object to obtain a substitute for whale-bone,
horn or the like and which will possess the same qualities as those substances
and therefore be unaffected by water or moisture and which at the same
time will possess great strength and elasticity so as to be well adapted for the
manufacture of travelling-trunks, boxes, bags or the like.
This new leather, called whale-bone-leather is not only applicable to the
manufacture of goods embraced in the saddlers trade but is also applicable to a
variety of other uses such for example as garments, corsets, fringes and the like
where in place of whale-bone and horn a hard and elastic material without fibres or
filaments is required and which possesses the same elasticity and flexibility as
whale-bone, but which will not crack, break into splinters nor split.
The boxes, bags, or cases manufactured of this new leather are distinguished
by possessing great durability and solidity as well as extreme lightness and
therefore this leather is especially applicable for manufacturing travelling
appliances.
This new whale-bone leather may be prepared from undressed or untanned
rough skins or hides of any description and substance in the following manner:
The skin is first scoured and cleansed of animal flesh and hair after which it is
thoroughly dried, and then submitted for a short time to the action of wet-steam
produced from water the duration of the steaming necessarily varying according to
the character and substance of the skin.
The object of this steaming operation is to transform the animal fibres of the
skin into glue.
After this operation the skin is steeped in a turpentine-bath until it has become
perfectly saturated with that material, when it is dried in the open air and the
leather is afterwards varnished and glossed to render it weather proof.
For particular purposes the leather may be grounded and polished, whilst, when
it is applied to the manufacture of trunks or the like it may be covered with any
suitable woven fabric.
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:-
:-
The hereindescribed process for producing a substitute for whale-bone or the
like called "Whale-bone-leather" cousisting in taking a skin and first removing
therefrom the flesh and hair then bringing the skin into the presence of wet-
water steam for the purpose of transforming the animal skin fibres into glue
then steeping the skin in a turpentine bath until it is saturated therewith and
subsequently drying the skin in the open air substantially as hereinbefore
described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 31st day of July 1894.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.