IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF LEATHER, ARTIFICIAL OR OTHERWISE."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Hall, of Leeds, in the County of York, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF LEATHER, ARTIFICIAL OR OTHERWISE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Hall at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th June 1881.
JOSEPH HALL, of Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER, ARTIFICIAL OR OTHERWISE.'
"
My improvements have reference to rolling "butts” whilst in their soft state.
The difficuly hitherto has been in causing the roller to mount upon the butt, and
to prevent such butt from moving away whilst so doing. In my arrangement I
either raise the roller or lower the table so as to separate them a sufficient distance
to enable the roller to clear the edge of the butt at each end of its stroke. This
operation is effected by cams, levers, or their equivalents, and may be worked
automatically or brought into operation by the attendant.
The above machine may be used for printing on leather by substituting a print
roller for the ordinary roller.
In "offal" rolling machines the same difficulty is experienced as that mentioned
for butt rolling. And in this machine I arrange the top roller in such a manner
that it may be raised by the attendant at pleasure by means of cams, wedges, or
their equivalents. The operation of raising the roller may be automatic. This
offal rolling machine may be used for printing leather by substituting a print
roller for the top rollers.
My improvements have also reference to what is known as the whiting machines;
within suitable framework is mounted a rotating roller or drum, baving its
periphery covered with emery, carding, or other rough analogous materials, and
underneath this is provided an endless travelling band or sheet. Above the endless
sheet or travelling band and at a suitable distance from the roughed roller is
mounted in suitable bearings on the framework a rotating brush, which is employed
to assist in feeding and levelling the leather, also for cleansing it as it is brought
back again after being operated upon by the roughed roller. The required motion
is imparted to this machine by hand or other suitable motive power.

page_text: roller j is carried, are fitted so as to allow a vertical movement within the grooves
or slots n in the carriage i, and are suspended on the spiral springs o through
which the rods 2 are passed to the bearings m of the roller j; these rods p are
provided at their upper ends with slot holes r, in which are provided the
eccentrics 8, such eccentrics 8 being mounted on a shaft t. By a rotary movement
of the eccentrics 8, the rods p move upwards, carrying the roller j with them; this
movement lifts the roller from the material. For the purpose of giving this
movement I provide on the end of the eccentric shaft t the arms u, and on a
shaft I provide the adjustable stops w; these may be secured by the set screws x
in any desired position on the shaft v. As the carriage i is moved backwards or
forwards, the arms u are brought alternately in contact with the stops w, and by
so doing the eccentrics & are moved round, and the roller j lifted from the surface
of the material, and on the arms u receding from the stops w, the eccentrics 8 move
round to their former position, allowing the roller j to drop on to its work, and the
springs o to exert their pressure. In combination with this arrangement I provide
a reversing motion for changing the direction of traverse, and for this purpose I
provide the levers 1 fitted so as to slide freely and keyed on the shaft 2, and
between projections 4 on the stops w, and provided with the runners 3 at their
outer ends. On the carriago i moving forward at any given point, the runners 3
on the ends of the levers
engage with a projecting piece 5, raise the ends of the
levers 1, and by so doing a rotary movement is given to the shaft 2, such movement
imparting the required motion to the belt fork 6 for changing the belts on the driving
pulley f, this movement being transmitted through lever 7 and belt fork slide bar 8.
Instead of the springs o a dead weight or its equivalent may be employed.
When this machine is used for printing on leather, I employ a print roller
instead of the roller j, and an elastic bed instead of the rigid bed d.
Fig. 4 shews another arrangement of lifting the roller j, this being effected
through the screw 9, and lever 10 being actuated either automatically by adjustable
stops, or by the attendant.
In Fig. 5 the rails & carrying the roller carriage i are fitted so that they may be
lifted, carrying with them the roller and roller carriage; this is effected by the
movement of the carriage i, which during its traversing comes alternately with its
projections in contact with the adjustable stops ; by so doing a sliding move-
iment is imparted to a shaft 11 which actuates the levers 12, and lift alternately
the ends of the rail.
Coil or other springs may be employed for cushioning or softening the blow
which takes place on the projections and the stops coming in contact.
Second. In the offal rolling machine shewn at Figs. 6, 7, and 8, I mount the
upper roller 13 within the vertical slide 15, in order that a vertical movement may
be imparted thereto for the purpose of separating the rollers 13 and 14 for receiving
the material; this is effected by means of a cam or eccentric 16 on the top roller
shaft 17, and in order to bring this into operation, I employ the sliding wedge 18,
which being pushed between the lever 19 and the vertical bar 20 convey's the
lifting movement from the eccentric 16 to the lever, but when withdrawn the
bar 20 is moved up and down by the eccentric 16 without disturbing it. The
movement of the wedge 18 is produced by the operator through hand lever 21,
shaft 22, and lever 23.
In order to adapt this offal rolling machine, and other offal rolling machines
having similar arrangement of rollers for printing leather, I employ a print roller
instead of the top roller 13, and instead of a rigid surface for the bottom roller 1+,
I employ one having a covering of india rubber or other elastic material.
When used for printing the bottom roller 14 is allowed to run loose, motion being
given to it from the top or priut roller. Other parts of the machine shewn at
Figs. 6, 7, and 8, are of ordinary construction.
Third. In the whiting or fluffing machine shewn at Figs. 9, 10, and 11, the
rotating roller or drum 2+ is mounted on the driving shaft 25, and has its periphery
covered with carding, emery, or other analogous materials, and underneath this is

page_text: provided an endless travelling band or sheet 20, its surface being covered by
preference with bristles in the manner of a brush.
It is mounted on rollers 27 carried on a swing frame 28 fitted in bearings 29.
In combination with this and mounted in bearings 30, I employ a rotating
brush 31 which is employed to assist in feeding and levelling the leather, also for
cleansing it as it is brought back again after being operated upon by the roughed
roller 24. The roughed roller 24 and travelling sheet 26 are brought together or
separated at pleasure by means of the treadle 32 and connecting rod 34 which is
attached to the swing frame at 35. Simultaneously with this movement the
rotating brush 31 is brought up to or separated from it by the same treadlo 32
through connecting rod 36, lever 37, and short.connecting rod 38. The required
motion is imparted to the machine through driving pulley 39 being transmitted
thereto by ordinary means.
Other parts of the machine not explained are of ordinary construction.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and particularized the
same by details which answer well in practice, I would have it understood that I
do not confino myself to the exact details set forth; what I do claim is,―
First. The arrangement, construction, and application of the various arrange-
ments shewn at Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, for enabling the roller to mount upon the
butt, and mere modifications of the same, substantially as and for purposes
herein setforth.
Second. The combination of the various parts forming the machine shewn at
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, for printing on leather, substantially as herein set forth.
Third. The arrangement, construction, and application of apparatus shewn at
Figs. 6, 7, and 8, for lifting or separating the top roller 13 from the bottom
roller 14, substantially as and for purposes herein setforth.
Fourth. The arrangement, construction, and combination of the various parts
forming the machine shewn at Figs. 6, 7, and 8, for printing on leather, substan-
tially as herein setforth.
Fifth. The application of print roller and roller having elastic surface arranged
substantially as shown and marked 13 and 14 to offal rulling machines, substan-
tially as and for purposes herein set forth.
Sixth. The arrangement and application of the endless sheet or travelling
band 26 in combination with the various parts forming the whiting or fluting
machine shewn at Figs. 9, 10, and 11, substantially as herein set forth.
Seventh. The means employed for separating or bringing together simultaneously
the travelling sheet or endless band 20 and rotating brush 31, substantially as and
for purposes herein setforth.;
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Hall, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand