Improvements in Machinery employed specially for Splitting or Cutting, Fleshing, Levelling, and Frizing Skins and analogous substances, and for Splitting or Cutting Woollen Felt, Kamp- tulicon, Linoleum, Woven Fabrics, or India Rubber
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application,
10th
Jan; 1900
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery employed specially for Splitting or
Cutting, Fleshing, Levelling, and Frizing Skins and analogous
substances, and for Splitting or Cutting Woollen Felt, Kamp-
tulicon, Linoleum, Woven Fabrics, or India Rubber.
JOSEPH HALL, Engineer, Burley Engine Works, Leeds, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Improvements in machinery employed specially for splitting or cutting fleshing
bevelling & frizing skins & analogous substances & for cutting or splitting
woollen, felt, kamptulicon, linoleum, woven fabrics or india rubber. One part
of my invention consists in a machine using either a reciprocating knife or an
endless knife such as is used in a band knife splitting machine, in combination
with other parts of my improved methods. First for splitting india rubber &
the above named substances substances having a solid or cylindrical form, which
substance requires to be cut into thin sheets. I employ a suitable carrying
maundril on which the material to be cut is fixed, This is mounted in a suitable
movable bearing having compensating motion for same so as to allow of the
uniform feed of the material presented to the knife for cutting, notwithstanding
its gradual diminishing diametre also suitable provision for taking away the
material when cut & in arranging the conveyance of water or suitable material
for allowing the knife to cut more freely.
My second part consists of special mechanism for cutting materials which are
either regular or irregular in thickness, such as skins, by means of a reciprocating
or endless knife as above described & especially for fleshing the skins. I employ
a specially constructed section roller of incompressable material, which may be
fixed in any suitable position, but by preference at the bottom under the knife
as described, which section roller revolves upon an elastic roller. I allow the
different parts of the section roller to move upwards or downwards relative to the
pressure on feed roller above but still not to move sideways; this I do by having
specially constructed central supports passing through section rolls. I also have
an improved external support when desired to section rollers. I sometimes use
elastic section rollers in place of above incompressable section rolls, then I can do
with or without the bottom elastic support roller-I also allow said section roller
a movable drawing
to work as part drawing roller in combination with
on face
roll, which movable drawing roll may be smooth
or spirally
centre to end SO as to act as a spreader as
groved from the
well
Thirdly, likewise
delivery drawing roller.
when desired to let the section rolls which run on rubber or elastic rollers for sup-
port & power, run in the nipping or driving roller, by this means a steadier motion
In this case
is got, & greater elasticity by having 2 elastic beds instead of one.
it is preferable to have a smooth surface on the nipping roller. The nipping
roller has a cleaning & spreading brush acting on it & on the skin, also a cleansing
as
a
or
arrange

page_text: guard for section rolls. When I want to split material in place of fleshing, I
employ when desired an extra drawing out arrangement, fixed on opposite side
of knife to the drawing out rolls above described. I likewise arrange the draw-
ing out rolls to enable me to automaticaly draw out the skin or leather for the
existing band knife splitting machine, & for this purpose use sometimes one
roller on which the skin is wound, & it possesses a suitable clutch arrangement
for allowing of its being easily unwound, but by preference 2 rollers & they can
be so arranged if desired, that they are moved out of the way for the operator to
get to the back of the feed roller & likewise readily fix the skin between the two
drawing out rollers, which keep the skin tight & prevents it being damaged.
Another part is an improved carrying head for carrying the top feed roller or
section roller if desired by which we can easily raise or fix the same or I employ
suitable mechanism to enable the feed or section & other rollers under the knife
to be more readily raised & lowered so as to cause to enter more easily the material
to be operated upon.
Dated this day the Eighth of January 1898.
.
Improvements in Machinery employed specially for Splitting or
Cutting, Fleshing, Levelling, and Frizing Skins and analogous
substances, and for Splitting or Cutting Woollen Felt, Kamp-|
tulicon, Linoleum, Woven Fabrics, or India Rubber.
JOSEPH HALL, Engineer, of Burley Engine Works, in the City of Leeds, England,
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:―
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
Figs. 1 to 13, and 19 to 22 show an improved form of machine for treating
hides skins, leather and the like substances, described more particularly as applied
to a band knife machine.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4:
Fig. 5
is a front elevation of my improved machine.
is a plan of Fig. 1.
is an elevation of one end, showing the driving gear for the rollers.
-is an elevation of the other end.
is an enlarged part section.
Figs. 6 and 7-are enlarged sections of the sectional rollers.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged section of an elastic sectional roller, working on a
solid support roller.
Figs. 8 and 9: are enlarged views of the clip or support for the top feed roller.
Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the top roller, with its bushes and wheels.
Fig. 11: -is a longitudinal section of the back india rubber drawing roller.
Fig. 12: -is a longitudinal section of the sectional roller and its bushes.
Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section of the front india rubber roller, with the
raising levers and wheels.
Fig. 19 is a part section enlarged, showing the hinged table.
Fig. 20: -is a part section enlarged of a reciprocating knife and guides.
Fig. 21- is a part section enlarged of a band knife and guides.
Fig. 22:
is a part elevation of the endless chain cleaner.

page_text: Fig. 23:-shows the attachment of the table to the bush carrying the sectional
roller.
i
Figs. 24 and 25:show the bush for carrying the sectional rollers.
Figs. 28 and 27:-show another method of attaching the table to the bush
carrying the sectional rollers.
Fig. 26:shows the improved setting up plate.
A is the bed of the machine, carried upon feet A 1, A 1, and having upright
ends or cheeks A2, A2, between which the rollers work.
The bed A carries bearings for the main driving shaft A 3, also adjustable
bearings A4 for the shafts of the knife pulleys B, B, on which the band knife Bl
runs
Motion is imparted to the pulleys B, B and the knife B1, from the driving
shaft A 3 by bevel wheels B2 and B3. The knife, B1, is guided and supported
by a plate B4, and cover plate B 5, which can be adjusted backwards and for-
wards by the screws B6 bearing against the cheeks A 2. The top plate B5 can
be adjusted vertically by the screws and screwed sockets B7. The knife is also
guided by the grinder plates 18 and other brackets, to guide or clean it, may
be affixed where desired. The knife is kept up to its work by plates B9, which
may be set forward by screws B 10, as shown in Figs. 20, 21 and 26, using pre-
ferably two screws to each plate, to prevent it turning sideways and jamming the
knife, or the plates may be guided by projections fitting in grooves cut in the
plates B4 and B 5.
The upper feed roller, C, is carried in adjustable bearings C1, C1, in a cross
frame or head C2, pivotted at C3, C3, on the cheeks A2, A2. Friction
rollers C4 are provided above the roller C, and are made adjustable as shown
in Fig. 5. Clips, C5, are also provided, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, to support
the roller C along its length. A plate C6 is fixed to the head C2 at the front
of the roller C, and a plate C7 is fixed on a shaft CS at the back. The shaft CS
has hand levers C9, working in quadrants C 10 at one or both ends of the machine,
so that the plate C7 may be turned up when required to clean the roller C.
Balance weights C11, are provided beyond the fulcrum C3, by which the pres-
sure on the feed roller C may be regulated. Below the knife is the sectional
roller D, which rests upon and revolves with the rollers E and F. The roller E
is covered with india-rubber preferably as shown in Fig. 13 (or can use a section
roller with an elastic cover, as shown in Fig. 6, in which case the roller E may
be made solid and incompressible) and is carried by two raising levers E1, E1,
pivotted at E2, E2, and moved by eccentrics on the shaft E3, journaled in the
checks A 2, A2, and operated by a hand lever E4, working in a quadrant slot.
The roller F is covered with india rubber or other suitable material and may have
spiral grooves or projections to spread the skin, and is carried by bearings F1, F 1,
sliding in the cheeks A 2, and supported by adjustable springs F 2, or the equiva-
lent. The section rollers, D, are carried by a preferably square shaft, D1, sup-
ported in bushes D2, D2, in the cheeks A2, A2. On the shaft, 1D) 1, are
runners, 13, which are free to move up and down on the shaft D 1. The section
rollers, 1), fit over these and are prevented from moving sideways by set-screws D4
or the equivalent, which engage in grooves in the rollers D, so that the rollers D
are free to revolve, but can only move up and down with the runners D3. The
bushes D2, D2, are so arranged that they can be turned through an angle as
shown in Fig. 24, thus constraining the section rollers 1) to move correspondingly.
Figs. 24 and 25, show the lug G3 to which the table G or the hinged part G2
is attached. The flange of the bush 12 is bevelled as shown at X to permit them
to be drawn out by a bar to release the shaft D 1.
The table G, which also acts as a guide and support for the rollers D, is fixed
to the bushes D2, D2, by the flanges G3, so that when they are moved the table G
must move with them, and is supported in front by brackets G 1, with quadrant
slots as shown, or the table G may be made with a hinge so that only the front
part, G 2, need be moved to correspond with the section roller, as shown in Figs. 19

page_text: and 23.
Another method of attachment is shown in Figs. 27 and 28, in which
the table is fixed to a strap G 4, clamped on to the bushes D2 at both ends of the
machine, so that when the table is moved upwards, the bushes D2 are moved
and the section rollers move on the shaft D1 at a corresponding angle. By
means of set screws G5, the guiding face can be adjusted towards or from the
sectional rollers.
A support roller H is provided beneath the roller E, and is operated by a hand
lever H1 working in a quadrant. A scraper K is provided beneath the sectional
roller D, and is carried by two weighted levers K1, K1, pivotted on the
cheeks A2, A2, so that it is held up against the sectional roller D, and free to
move with it, or a circular revolving brush driven by suitable means, may be
employed instead of the scraper K.
The position of the head C2 is regulated by screws L. The head C2, carrying
the feed roller C, may be lifted by means of a foot-lever L1, carried on a
shaft L2, and upright rods L 3, L3, which bear against adjustable screws L 6 in
the head C2.
On the rods L3, L3, are collars L4, L4, which operate hooked catches L 5, L5,
pivotted on the cheeks A 2, A2, and having hooks L 7, so that when the head C2
is lowered, the weight of the levers L5 causes the hooks L 7 to engage with pins LS
on it and securely lock it down. When the foot lever L1 is depressed, the
catches L5 are first automatically released and then the head C2 is lifted.
The rollers for carrying the skin or leather to the cutting knife B 1, are driven
by the following mechanism:-Motion is given to the main driving shaft A 3
by the pulley A 5. On this shaft is a pinion M which gears with a wheel M 1
on an intermediate shaft M2. On the shaft M2, are two pinions 'M3, M4,
gearing with two wheels M5, M6, on a shaft M7, running right across the
machine. Between the pinions M3, M4, is a sliding clutch, operated by the
hand lever N, by which the driving may be done through either pinion at will or
stopped altogether. On the shaft M7 at each end is a pinion, P, P, gearing with
wheels P1, P1, fixed to the india rubber roller E. These drive wheels P2, P2
fixed to the roller F, through idle wheels P3, P3 carried on studs in the
cheeks A 2, A 2. On the shaft M7 at each end is a pinion R, R, gearing with
an idle wheel R 1, R 1, carried on the fulcrum C3 of the head C2. These through
idle wheels R2, R2, carried on studs in the head C2, drive wheels R3, R3,
fixed on the roller C. The sectional rollers 1), resting on the roller E are revolved
with it, and moved up and down as required by the lever E4.
They also have an independent motion on the guide bar D 1 and rubber roller E,
to allow them to adjust themselves to the varying thicknesses of the material
passing through. The usual arrangement of emery wheels S, S, pulleys S1, S2,
and adjusting screws S3 and S4 is employed to sharpen the knife. An endless
chain arrangement carrying brushes or scrapers can be arranged on the head C2,
behind the roller C, so as to remove all dirt when fleshing, and may be driven
from one end of the machine or independently, as shown in Fig. 22. All the
gearing at each end of the machine is provided with suitable covers and guards.
A roller T may be provided, carried by brackets T1, fixed on the plate B4, to
be used to draw the skin over out of the machine. When desired to be used as
an ordinary splitting machine, the drawing roller F may be replaced by a plate
such as is used in an ordinary machine, and the scraper K removed.
When this is done I can employ the arrangement shown in Figs. 14 to 18.
which consists of a pair of rollers fitted to the back of the machine, and so arranged
that they may be brought together by suitable means so as to draw the skin or
leather through the machine. The arrangement is shown as applied to the
ordinary form of splitting machine, but may be slightly modified for use with
the foregoing improved machine.
:
Fig. 14 is a part end elevation. Fig. 15 is a part back elevation. Fig. 16:
is a section of the stud carrying the swinging bearings for the top roller. Fig. 17:
is a section of the stud carrying the chain wheel to drive the upper roller.

page_text: Fig. 18 is a section of the stud carrying the chain wheel to drive the lower
roller, and the spur wheel which transmits motion to the feed rollers.
The lower roller T is carried in brackets X, fixed to the cheeks A2, and is
driven by pitched chains from chain wheels made in one with the idle wheels T9,
which are carried on studs in the cheeks A 2, and transmit motion to the rollers
from the intermediate shaft carrying the clutch and variable speed arrangement
as shown in Fig. 18.
Adjustable rollers T 11 are fixed on the cleaning brackets T1, and the chains
passed under them. These serve to keep the chain from coming into contact with
the knife B1, and also to tighten it when necessary. The upper roller T2, is
carried in swinging bearings T3, pivotted on studs T4 in the cheeks A 2, and
has a chain wheel T 10 at each end. The studs T4 also carry double chain
wheels T5, which are driven by pitched chains from chain wheels T6, carried
on studs T7 in the cheeks A2. The chain wheels T5 drive the roller T2 by
separate chains. The chain wheels T6 are in one with spur wheels T8 which
gear with the idle wheels T9. Thus the rollers T and T2 are driven in opposite
directions, and the roller T2 is free to be swung up or down without stopping
its motion. This is done by means of two adjustable connecting links V, which
connect the swinging arms T3 to a foot lever V 1, carried on a shaft V2, and
having a counterbalance weight which normally tends to hold the roller T2 out
of contact with the roller T. When the lever V1 is depressed, the roller T2 is
brought down to nip the skin on the roller T and thus draw it out of the machine.
The foot lever V1 may be held down by levers having projecting catches V 3,
which engage it when depressed, thus leaving the operator at liberty. When the
skin has passed through, the catches V3 are pushed back (radiating on the
shaft V4) and the foot lever V1 rises lifting the roller T2 clear of the roller T.
When I cut solid cylinders of india-rubber, or analogous material, into con-
tinuous sheets, the cylinder to be cut occupies a corresponding position to the
section rollers D), but is caused to revolve, and is raised towards the knife to allow
for its diminishing diameter by means of rollers such as E and F or other suitable
means.
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-
-
1. In a machine for fleshing or splitting leather and analogous substances,
either by a band knife or by a longitudinally reciprocating knife; the construc-
tion and arrangement of sectional roller, provided with a firm support (preferably
square) throughout its length, the said support acting as guide to constrain the
movement of the rollers as required, and which guide, when square, may be
turned at an angle to cause the rollers to move correspondingly, means for fixing
the said support, and the means for turning it as required, substantially as shown
and described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 24 and 25.
2. In machines of the kind referred to, the construction of feeding table having
an edge adapted to act as an external support to the sectional roller, and means
for moving the said support correspondingly to the motion of the internal sup-
port, substantially as shown and described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (i,
19 and 23.
3. In machines of the kind referred to, the formation of the roller supporting
the sectional rollers, which may be made with varying thicknesses of india rubber,
to adapt itself better to the varying thickness of the skin, the rubber taking pre-
ferably the form shown, so that the roller is more yielding where the skin is
thicker substantially as shown and described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
and 13.
4. In machines of the kind referred to, the use of a nipping or drawing roller,
which may be pressed against the sectional roller by springs or other means, and
may have a smooth surface or be provided with spiral grooves or projections

page_text: for the purpose of increasing its grip on the skin, and which may be replaced by
a suitable metal plate if desired, substantially as shown and described with
reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 11.
5. In machines of the kind referred to, the use of a movable scraper or a circular
revolving brush bearing against the sectional roller for the purpose of guiding
the skin and cleaning the sectional roller, substantially as shown and described
with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
6. In machines of the kind referred to, the use of a roller or rollers, carried by
the machine, to render easier the handling of the skin, substantially as shown
and described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
7. In machines of the kind referred to, the construction and arrangement of a
head, carrying the feed roller or the section rollers, and pivotted on the machine
frame, so that the whole can be lifted by suitable means to allow of inserting a
skin or for cleaning purposes, substantially as shown and described with reference
to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
8. In machines of the kind referred to, the use of a pivotted head carrying
rollers and of an automatic catch operated by the mechanism for lifting the head,
which acts to fix the said head securely in place when required for splitting, sub-
stantially as shown and described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
9. In machines of the kind referred to, the use of a feeding table having a hinge
or ball and socket joint in its width, to allow the front edge to move correspond-
ingly to the section roller guide without the necessity of moving the whole table
substantially as shown and described with reference to Figs. 19, 23, 24 and 25.
10. In machines of the kind referred to, the use and arrangement of a guide
plate for the feed roller, which plate can be moved out of the way whenever
necessary for cleaning purposes substantially as shown and described with reference
to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
11. In machines of the kind referred to, the arrangement of means for driving
the working rollers at different speeds or for stopping them, whereby the rate of
working is suited to the goods being worked substantially as shown and described
with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
12. In machines of the kind referred to, the use of two drawing rollers behind
the machine driven by suitable mechanism, and so arranged as to be adjustable
together by foot lever or other means to act to draw the skin through the machine
substantially as shown and described with reference to Figs. 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18.
13. The construction of leather working machine having either a band knife
or a reciprocating knife, a sectional roller of the character described a support
roller for the said sectional roller, a nipping roller to pull the skin through a feed
roller, a scraper to clean the sectional roller, a table having a suitable guide for
the sectional roller, means for moving the said guide and sectional rollers, driving
arrangements for varying speeds, and rollers for drawing off the skin, in which
machine the various rollers may be carried between the fixed cheeks, or in a
pivotted swinging head, with means for moving and fixing the said head, sub-
stantially as shown and described with reference to Figs. 1 to 13 and 19 to 21.
14. In a machine of the kind referred to, the use of an endless chain carrying
brushes or scrapers to remove dirt from the knife and knife guides substantially
as shown and described with reference to Fig. 22.
15. In a machine of the kind referred to, the arrangement of parts whereby
a solid cylinder of india rubber or analogous material may be cut into a con-
tinuous and uniform sheet.
Dated this 8th day of October 1808