A New or Improved Process for Utilizing Leather Waste and Preparing therewith a Material for Covering Floors, Walls, Roofs, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Process for Utilizing Leather Waste and
Preparing therewith a Material for Covering Floors, Walls, Roofs,
and the like.
I, WILLIAM BARTON, of 484, Lergstrasse, Inspector of the German Linoleum
Company, of Rixdorf, near Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia and German
Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
In all branches of manufacture comprising the preparation and use and use of leather
such as the makers of photographic albums, boot and shoe and glove manufacturers
and the like cuttings or waste leather pieces are obtained in large quantities.
Notwithstanding the efforts which are constantly made in all branches of
modern engineering with a view to utilize the waste products of the various
manufactures this waste leather so far as the inventor is aware has not yet been
made use of.
The cuttings or trimmings are therefore not only a useless product for the manu-
facturer but are moreover owing to their bulk a very disagreeable bye product.
Waste leather could not be utilized until a process was discovered by means of
which the cuttings could be pulverized in the bulk.
By the process hereinafter described it is possible to convert a large quantity of
waste leather pieces into fine powder and to use this powder in the preparation of a
material suitable and eminently fit to be used as a covering for floors walls roofs
and the like and having great advantages over covering materials hitherto used.
for floors walls etc. on account of its great cheapness as well as of its advantageous
properties for practical use.
To produce a fine leather powder the leather is treated in the following manner :-
The leather cuttings or trimmings which are obtained in the various branches of
manufacture wherein leather is used are placed in a large boiler heated for a
period of three hours by means of a steam jacket or casing and diligently stirred
by means of any suitable stirring mechanism. The material being now withdrawn
from the boiler is passed between two rollers arranged in very close proximity one
to the other. Each one of these hot rollers rotate at a different speed. The
material is now already pulverized by this treatment but it is not reduced to a
sufficiently fine powder. It is therefore placed back in the boiler heated and
dried and then removed therefrom in order to be passed through a pair of
stones (advantageously granite) after which it is finally passed through a sieve.
The leather cuttings or trimmings are reduced according to this process to a
fine mealy leather powder which is converted into a new covering for floorings
walls and the like according to the process described as follows:-
The leather powder is mixed with hard boiled or oxydised linseed oil and
then with burnt and sieved lime after which it is treated with coloring matter
and a mixture of rosin or hot colophony and petroleum.
The last named mixture is prepared in the following manner :-100 kilos. of
rosin or colophony are heated by means of a steam jacket in a large boiler or
pan until it becomes liquid when 10 kilos. of common petroleum are added
thereto both substances being well rubbed together. After the mass has been
poured out of the boiler and cooled it has lost its brittleness while retaining its
adhesive power which is required for the purpose in view.
The mixture formed with the above mentioned substances and the leather
powder is subsequently pressed between iron or steel (or other suitable metal)
rollers upon jute or linen or other suitable material. To convert the leather

page_text: powder into a covering for floors etc. the following proportions (or thereabouts)
have been found the most advantageous viz.
220 kilos. of leather powder
110
و,
دو
وو
3.5
40
30
"
of hard boiled or oxydised linseed oil
of sieved burnt lime
of dried coloring matter (this quantity depends upon the color
required for the ground)
of the mass composed of rosin or colophony and petroleum
prepared as above described.
This new material possesses valuable properties. It is not so liable to be burnt
as linoleum or waxed cloth has a beautiful gloss and but a faint smell which is far
weaker than that of linoleum. By shaving off a piece from the new material with
a knife the cut part will be seen to maintain the same brilliancy.
This material is impervious to insects as well as impermeable to water or moisture
while it can be washed is very durable and firm. It is not near so porous as
linoleum but is flexible and can be used to cover steps in lieu of the usual stair
baize.
On account of the low price of the materials used in its manufacture it is
cheaper than linoleum for the production of which latter expensive materials are
used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The process for utilizing leather waste by reducing it to a fine powder heating
the latter in a boiler under constant stirring passing the hot and dried material
between two rotating rollers in reheating the material in a boiler and lastly in
passing the same through a pair of stones (advantageously granite) and then
through a sieve substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
2. The process for using the leather powder obtained according to Claim 1 for
the manufacture of a covering for floors walls and the like consisting in treating this
powder with linseed oil burnt lime a coloring material and a mixture of colophony
and petroleum the resulting mass being pressed between iron or steel or other
suitable rollers upon jute or linen or other suitable material substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore described.
Dated this 16th dox of Fohm 1901
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.