AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROCESS OF UNHAIRING AND PREPARING SKINS OR HIDES 4139 AB AND KIND BE EMPLOYED FOR MAKING OR DRESSING INTOEATHER
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joshua Senior, of New Ross, in the County of
Wexford, Ireland, Foreman Skinner, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROCESS OF UNHAIRING AND PREPARING SKINS OR HIDES
4139
AB AND KIND"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joshua Senior at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd December 1872.
I, JOSHUA SENIOR, of New Ross, in the County of Wexford, Ireland,
Foreman Skinner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROCESS OF UNHAIRING AND PREPARING SKINS OR
HIDES TO BE EMPLOYED FOR MAKING OR DRESSING INTO LEATHER OF ANY KIND," to
be as follows :—
Hitherto lime has been chiefly used for the purpose of unhairing and
preparing skins or hides, and bringing them to a proper condition for
making into leather; but in carrying out my Invention I make use of

page_text: soda ash or any other alkaline solution in combination with lime, which
answers all the purposes of lime, but in a quicker, less expensive, and a
far superior manner. The goods are rendered in a better condition for
future processes in half the time with little more than half the labour,
and the leather will be tougher, more mellow, and elastic.
Used instead of lime alone by fellmongers my improved material will
be far more efficacious, the skins easier to pull, and "speck
"will be pre-
vented to a considerable extent.
7723
The mode or manner of carrying out my Invention is as follows:-
To eighteen gallons of boiling water I add about twenty pounds of soda 1
ash, which must be stirred till the alkali is completely dissolved; then
.immediately afterwards about one hundredweight of frosh quicklime
must be thrown in gradually. It will then begin to boil fiercely, so that
the pit, tank, or any other suitable vessel should be sufficiently large to
prevent it from boiling over. If, when done boiling, the solution is not 1
all absorbed, a little more fresh lime may be added. When the mixture
is quite cold it is ready for use, and should be of the consistency of
. soft clay.
The mixture may be made in any desired quantity.
To each pit capable of containing or working fifty or sixty dozen of
sheep pelts, from about one hundredweight two quarters to about two
hundredweight of the mixture, with a sufficient quantity of water, may
be put in when making new.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joshua Senior in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th June 1873.
· TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS' SHALL COME, I, JOSHUA
SENIOR, of New Ross, in the County of Wexford, Ireland, Foreman 30
Skinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two,
in the thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Joshua Senior, Her
special licence that I, the said Joshua Senior, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joshua Senior,
my 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 Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN THE PROCESS OF UNHAIRING AND PREPARING SKINS OR HIDES TO BE EMPLOYED
FOR MAKING OR DRESSING INTO LEATHER OF ANY KIND," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Joshua Senior, my my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 I, the said Joshua Senior, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, that is to say:-
Hitherto lime has been chiefly used for the purpose of unhairing and
preparing skins or hides, and bringing them to a proper condition for
making into leather; but in carrying out my Invention I make use of
soda ash or any other alkaline solution in combination with lime, which
answers all the purposes of lime, but in a quicker, less expensive, and in
a far superior manner. The goods are rendered in a better condition for
future processes in half the time, with little more than half the labour,
and the leather will be tougher, more mellow, and elastic.
Used instead of lime alone by fellmongers my improved material
will be far more efficacious, the skins will be easier to pull, and speck
will be prevented to a considerable extent.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "An
Improvement in the Process of Unhairing and Preparing Skins or Hides
to be Employed for Making or Dressing into Leather of any kind," I will

page_text: now proceed to describe more in detail the mode or manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect.
To eighteen gallons of boiling water I add about twenty pounds of
soda ash, which must be stirred till the alkali is completely dissolved,
then immediately afterwards about one hundredweight of fresh quick- 5
lime must be thrown in gradually. It will then begin to boil fiercely,
so that the pit, tank, or any other suitable vessel in which the process
is performed should be sufficiently large to prevent it from boiling over.
If when done boiling the solution is not all absorbed a little more fresh
lime may be added. When the mixture is quite cold it is ready for use, i
and should be of the consistency of soft clay.
The mixture may be made in any desired quantity.
To each pit capable of containing or working fifty or sixty dozen of
sheep pelts, from about one hundredweight two quarters to about two
hundredweight of the mixture, with a sufficient quantity of water, may 1
be put in when making new.
In treating horse, cow, calf, goat, or seal skins or hides my Invention
will be found equally effectual.
For seal or any other very oily and greasy skins or hides more of the
improved mixture may be used.
When making the mixture and it is found that the solution is not all
absorbed, it is in consequence of some qualities of lime absorbing more
than others, and require a little more fresh quicklime adding.
2
I find it the most convenient to work the pits in pairs, both for
economy in labour, and to ensure the thorough exhaustion of the 2
contents.
A particular feature in my Invention is that by increasing or dimin-
ishing the amount of soda ash (say, from five pounds to twenty pounds
per hundredweight of lime) I either accelerate or retard the process so
that it accommodates itself to all circumstances, seasons, and climates, 3
and where space is limited it will prove to be of the greatest advantage.
When the goods are brought to a proper condition they may be put
through the remaining processes in the usual manner.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"An Improvement in the Process of Unhairing and Preparing Skins or 3

page_text: Hides to be Employed for Making or Dressing into Leather of any Kind,”
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that
I claim as my Invention, the improved and peculiar process, substantially
as herein-before described, of unhairing and preparing skins or hides in
readiness for being manufactured or dressed into leather.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joshua Senior, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.