IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF SHEEP AND LAMB SKINS FOR FUR LININGS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Charles Henderson, of 6, Southampton Buildings,
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PREPARATION OF SHEEP AND LAMB SKINS FOR FUR LININGS." A
communication from abroad by Pierre Puech, Manufacturer, of Mazamet, in
the Department of Tarn, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Charles Henderson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd February 1880.
ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON, of 6, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF SHEEP AND
LAMB SKINS FOR FUR LININGS." A communication from abroad by Pierre
Puech, Manufacturer, of Mazamet, in the Department of Tarn, in the Republic of
France.
The process comprises several operations, consisting essentially in steeping the
skins in a bath of hot water, to which is added soap, soda salt, and so forth for
scouring them; in pressing them sufficiently to extract the yolk and impurities;
in beating them successively on each side, and in simultaneously washing them in
tepid or cold water; in steeping them for a more or less length of time in a tepid
bath, to which is or is not added a bleaching substance, and capable if desired of
forming a dyeing bath; in drying them; in beating them forcibly, and in covering
them with tanning matter, and in finally drying them.
This rapid and economical method admits of preparing the most difficult skins
for tanning in the space of about two hours, and the wool acquires such a cleanliness
that no further cleaning is necessary to impart to it all the beauties and qualities
of which its nature is susceptible.
The following is an explicit description of the several operations comprising the
complete process of the new method:-
1st. Prepare a trough of hot water, and maintain it at 40 to 45 degrees; add to
it a matter for scouring the wool, such as soap, soda crystal, or soda salt; steep
the skins therein for about hour, being careful to preserve the bath till it indicates
5 degrees by the saline detector. The object of preserving this bath is to economize
the scouring matters, as the yolk of the skins which is liberated ameliorates the
bath in proportion as the skins are steeped therein. For instance, a bath containing
3000 litres of water will scour from 12 to 1500 skins,

page_text: 2nd. The skins are passed to a pressing roller for extracting the yolk, the dirty
wool, and foreigu matters. This operation lasts a second, and at the same time the
yolk is conducted to the scouring bath above mentioned.
3rd. Immediately after, and as quickly as possible whilst the skins are hot,
submit them to a beating machine of some kind. This operation is intended to
remove the dirty wool, thistles, burrs, and straw; in a word purify, scour, cleanse,
and thoroughly wash the skins, being careful to allow an abundance of cold or
tepid water to fall between it and the drum.
4th. Return the skin to the same machine for beating them on the flesh side, so
as to remove the superfluous flesh; scrape and render the skin supple, clean it, and
remove from the edges of the skin all the imperfections which escaped beating on
the wool side. This second beating is effected like the first in a minute.
5th. Again steep the skins in a bath heated from 35 to 40 degrees for about
30 minutes. This operation perfectly opens the pores of the skin and prepares it
for efficaciously receiving the tanning matter.
6th. Immediately pass the skins under a pressing roller to dry the skins.
7th. The skins being still damp beat them forcibly on the wool side by means
of rods or a velveting machine. The object is to raise the staples, to inflate them,
and separate them from one another. These 7 operations essentially constitute the
novelty of the Invention.
8th. Immediately with a brush, or mechanically, pass over the flesh side a
tanning substance composed ad hoc, and thus leave the skins 24 hours. If they
are difficult to prepare the tanning matter is applied a second time.
9th. Dry in the open air or by heat, and after having admitted on the dry skin
a little tepid water to soften the leather it is delivered to the workman to scrape
the leather till it is quite clean, either by hand or mechanically. If the skin is
meant for use as a rug the wool is combed, and in this state the skin is ready for
commerce, whilst if it is a short wool skin intended for clothing the combing is
not necessary.
10th. If the skins are to be bleached it is merely necessary to throw a little
water on the wool side so as to damp the filaments, and the skins are left 48 hours
in a sulphur vapour chamber for bleaching. Bleaching may be effected by other
means, for example, by putting the skins in a cold bath (after the 4th operation),
added to which is a bleaching substance, leaving them in it 6 hours, and continuing
the subsequent operations, as already mentioned.
Finally, if the skins are to be dyed, to the bath of the 5th operation is added the
desired colour, and the other stages follow as described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Charles Henderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd July 1880.
ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON, of 6, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF SHEEP AND
LAMB SKINS FOR FUR LININGS." A communication from abroad by Pierre
Puech, Manufacturer, of Mazamet, in the Department of Tarn, in the Republic of
France.
The method at present employed in preparing sheep and lamb skins for furriery
and clothing is primitive, requires much time, and is not always attended with
success.
The following is a short epitome of the manipulations to which skins are
subjected by this method for making fur therefrom:-
The skin is plunged into water for 2 or 3 days; it is then rinsed in the river to
remove the yolk, then by use of a knife it is shaved on the flesh side, and then
tanning is proceeded with, and when tanned the wool has to be scoured to remove
impurities, such as burrs, straw, and so forth. This operation is difficult to perform
after tanning, the greatest care being necessary, as it is requisite to thoroughly
scour the wool and remove all impurities without injury to the already tanned
skin. Tedious and expensive as this operation is it would be impossible to executo
it unless good kinds of skins extremely easy to clean were employed.
As will be observed the actual treatment consists in washing the skins in a very
summary manner, then in tanning and rewashing them, so that little heed is paid
to the beauty of the wool or of the product, and skins so treated only wear very
indifferently and for a short time only, they easily collect dust, soon get dirty, and
are very difficult to clean.
Logically it is necessary that the main part of the treatment should bear upon
the wool, too much neglected by the old method. The question of tanning is
merely accessory, as it is of little consequence if a good process is used in the
furriery of sheep and lamb skins.
It is viewing it in this light that the inventor has conceived the process, the
motive of the present Invention, which process presents considerable advantages
and superiority over its predecessors, both as to time, economy, and the quality and
richness of the products.
The following is an explicit description of the several operations comprising the
complete process of this new method:-
1st. Prepare a trough of hot water, and maintain it at 40 to 45 degrees; add to
it a matter for scouring the wool, such as soap, soda crystal, or soda salt; steep the
skins therein for about hour, being careful to preserve this bath till it indicates
5 degrees by the saline detector. The object of preserving this bath is to economize
the scouring matters, as the yolk of the skins which is liberated ameliorates the
bath in proportion as the skins are steeped therein. For instance, a bath containing
3000 litres of water will scour from 12 to 1500 skins.
2nd. The skins are passed to a pressing roller for extracting the yolk, the dirty
wool, and foreign matters. This operation lasts a second, and at the same time the
yolk is led to the scouring bath above mentioned.
3rd. Immediately after, and as quickly as possible whilst the skins are hot,
submit them to a beating machine of some kind, Blaquière de Bedarieux, for
instance, or some analogous machine. This operation is intended to remove the
dirty wool, burrs, and straw; in a word, purify, scour, cleanse, and thoroughly
wash the skins, being careful to allow an abundance of cold or tepid water to fall
between them and the drum.
In the accompanying Drawings of a Blaquière beater, see Fig. 1, the skin P is
beaten between the cylinder a supplied with projections, and another drum b

page_text: furnished with paddles or pallets. During this mechanical operation a bath c pours
abundant water between the drum b and the cloth d supporting the skin.
4th. Return the skins to the same machine for beating them on the flesh side, so
as to remove the superfluous flesh; scrape and render the skins supple, clean
them, and remove from the edges all the imperfections which have escaped beating
on the wool side. This second beating is effected like the first in a minute.
5th. Again steep the skins in a bath heated from 35 to 40 degrees for about
30 minutes. This operation perfectly opens the pores of the skins and prepares
them for efficaciously receiving the tanning matter.
6th. Immediately pass the skins under a pressing roller to dry them.
7th. The skins being still damp beat them forcibly on the wool side by means
of rods, or submit them to a velveting machine, such as represented by Fig. 2.
The object is to raise the staples, to inflate them, and separate them from one
another by means of the separators 8, 8, and the beater or agitator t. These 7
operations essentially constitute the novelty of the Invention.
8th. Immediately with a brush, or mechanically, pass over the flesh side a
tanning substance composed ad hoc, and thus leave the skins 24 hours. If they
are difficult to prepare the tanning matter is applied a second time.
9th. Dry in the open air or by stove, and after having admitted on the dry skin
a little tepid water to soften the leather it is delivered to the workman to scrape
the leather till it is quite clean, either by hand or mechanically. If the skin is
meant for use as a rug the wool is combed, and in this state the skin is ready for
commerce, whilst if it is a short wool skin intended for clothing the combing is not
necessary.
10th. If the skins are to be bleached it is merely necessary to throw a little
water on the wool side so as to damp the filaments, and the skins are left 48 hours
in a sulphur vapour chamber for bleaching.
Bleaching may be effected by other means, for example, by putting the skins in
a cold bath (after the 4th operation), added to which is a bleaching substance,
leaving them in it 6 hours, and continuing the subsequent operations, as already
mentioned.
Finally, if the skins are to be dyed, to the bath of the 5th operation is added the
desired colour, and the other stages follow as described.
The process for which Letters Patent are applied for specially concerns the
preparation of sheep and lamb skins of all kinds and from any country for purposes
of furriery. It comprises an ensemble of operations, consisting essentially in
steeping the skins in a bath of hot water, to which soap, crystal soda, and so forth
is added for scouring; in sufficiently pressing them to extract the yolk and
impurities; in beating them successively on both sides, and in simultaneously
washing them in tepid or cold water; in steeping them for a more or less time in
a bath of tepid water, to which is or is not added a bleaching substance, and
capable if requisite of forming a dyeing bath; in drying them, forcibly boating
them, and covering them with a tanning matter, and in finally drying them.
This accelerated and economical process admits in the preparation for tanning
in the space of 2 hours skins the most difficult of treatinent, and the wool
acquires such a cleanliness that it necessitates no further cleaning to impart to it
all the beauty and qualities of which its nature is susceptible.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Charles Henderson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty second day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.