IMPROVE- M MAWIDACE OF LEATHER " MENTS IN
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Bale and William Wrest, both
of Leeds, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
M
MAWIDACE OF LEATHER
"
MENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Balo
and William Wrest at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 28th October 1875.
We, WILLIAM EDWARD BALE and WILLIAM WREST, both of Leeds,
in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLESHING MACHINES EMPLOYED IN THE MANufacture
OF LEATHER," to be as follows:-
:—
The object of our Invention is to remove from hides or skins the
flesby substance that adheres thereto, as hereafter described.
On suitable framework and in suitable adjustable bearings we mount
two drums parallel with each other and at any required distance apart,
over which is passed or on which is mounted a belt or sheet.

page_text: To the belt or sheet are fixed by suitable brackets any required
number of eutters or scrapers.
A rotary motion being imparted to the drums from some suitable
motive power causes the belt or sheet carrying the scrapers or cutters
to travel in a horizontal direction between the drums. Below this
travelling belt or sheet we mount a "beam" which is made adjustable
in a vertical direction; also we provide an arrangement whereby we can
give a radial movement to the "beam."
The hide or skin having been placed on the "beam" and held in
position by any suitable convenient means, the "beam" may then be
raised vertically towards the horizontal belt carrying the scrapers or
cutters, until the scrapers or cutters are brought in contact with the
fleshy substance adhering thereto.
By moving the "beam" in a radial direction the scrapers or cutters
can be brought in contact with all the parts of the hide or skin, removing
therefrom the fleshy substance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Bale and William Wrest in the
Great Seal Patent Offico on the 27th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,. WILLIAM 2
EDWARD BALE and WILLIAM WREST, both of Leeds, in the County of
York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in:
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said William Edward Bale and
William Wrest, Her special licence, that we, the said William
Edward Bale and William Wrest, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William Edward Bale and;
William Wrest, our 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

page_text: Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLESHING MACHINES EMPLOYED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said William Edward Bale and William Wrest, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our 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 we, the said William Edward Bale and William
Wrest, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 accompanying Drawings, and to the letters of reference
marked thereon, that is to say :-
The object of our Invention is to remove from hides or skins the
fleshy substance that adheres thereto, as hereafter described.
On suitable framework and in suitable adjustable bearings we mount
two drums parallel with each other and at any required distance apart,
over which is passed or on which is mounted a belt or sheet.
To the belt or sheet are fixed by suitable brackets any required numbers
of cutters or scrapers.
A rotary motion being imparted to the drums from some suitable
motive power the belt or sheet carrying the scrapers or cutters is caused
to travel in a horizontal direction between the drums. Below this
travellling belt or sheet we mount a "beam" which is made adjustable
in a vertical direction; also we provide an arrangement whereby we can
give a radial movement to the "beam."
The hide or skin having been placed on the "beam" and held in
position by any suitable convenient means, the beam may then be raised
vertically towards the horizontal belt carrying the scrapers or cutters,
until the scrapers or cutters are brought in contact with the fleshy sub-
stance adhering thereto.
By moving the beam in a radial direction the scrapers or cutters
can he brought in contact with all the narts of the hide or skin, removing

page_text: And in order that our Invention may be more completely understood
reference is given to the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, and to
the letters and marks thereon,-
Sheet 1 shews one arrangement of machine constructed according to
an Invention in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation; Figure 2 an
end elevation; and Figure 3 a plan.
Sheet 2 shews a modification of the machine shown at Sheet 1, in
which Figure 1 represents a side elevation; Figure 2 an end elevation;
and Figure 3 a plan.
a and a are standards between which is fixed the framework b; on
the framework are mounted the drums c parallel with each other, and
at any required distance apart in the bearings d; over these drums c is
passed a belt or sheet e on which are fixed suitable brackets ƒ by
means of suitable rivets or bolts; to each of these brackets fis attached
a cutter or scraper g. Below the sheet or belt e we mount a beam h
which is made adjustable in a vertical direction on the shaft i. The
shaft is made to work in the slot j in the standard a, and the slot k in
the standard . We cause the shaft i carrying the beam to be raised
by means of the treadle m, levers n, and connecting rods o.
We provide a hand wheel p on the end of the shaft i, whereby the
attendant is able to give a rotating motion to the beam h. The weight q
on the lever is for the purpose of counterbalancing the beam 7. The
hide is placed on the beam and held in position by the clamp 8; this
being done the drums c being set in motion from some suitable motive
power causes the belt or sheet e on which are mounted the cutters or
scrapers g to travel, and in their course to pass over the surface of the
hide, as shown at t, throughout its length; by this means the fleshy
substance that adheres thereto is scraped or cut off the surface by the
repeated action of the cutters or scrapers 9. In order to give steadiness
to the cutters or scrapers g the brackets f on which they are carried are
caused to run within the slide u, and in order to relieve the cutter or
scraper g from the fleshy or other matter that adheres to it on passing
over the hide we provide a circular brush which is mounted in suitable
bearings on the framework b. This may be caused to revolve by any
ordinary known means, and is so placed that after passing off the hide
the cutters are brushed clean thereby. This machine may also be
employed for cleaning the surface of the hide.
Sheet 2 represents a modification of the machine shown at Sheet 1.

page_text: We provide the standards 1, on which is hinged the framework 2
carrying the drums 3, over which is passed the sheet or belt 4 carrying
the cutters or scrapers 5, these being of a similar character to those
described with reference to Sheet 1. The diffence in the arrangement
of the framework carrying the drums on Sheet 2 is that instead of being
a fixture we cause it to be hinged on the standards 1 at 6. By this
means the sheet or belt 4 carrying the cutters can be raised out of the
way of the hide, and also brought down again to operate upon it in the
manner described on Sheet 1. In this arrangement the shaft 7 carry-
ing the beam 8 may be placed in fixed bearings on the standards 1,
allowing only of a rotary motion being given thereto by means of the
hand wheel 9. The framework 2 may be counterbalanced by means of
the weights 10, or other equivalent means.
Other parts not expressed are similar to those on Sheet 1.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and shown by
Drawings how the same may be carried into practice, we would have it
understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact limits, details,
or configuration of the parts we have explained and shown, as the same
may be varied or modified without in any way departing from the
essential features of our said Invention, but what we do claim and
desire to be secured to us by Letters Patont is,-
First. The arrangement, construction, and application of travelling
sheet or belt in combination with the cutters or scrapers mounted
thereon, and parts connected therewith for giving the required motion
thereto, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Second. The arrangement, construction, and combination of the
various parts forming the machine, substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Bale, for myself
and on behalf of the said William Wrest, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.