IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPRESSED LEATHER
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Jenkinson and Alfred Dickson, both of
Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Pressed Leather Manu-
facturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF COMPRESSED LEATHER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Jenkinson and
Alfred Dickson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 19th January 1872.
We, JOHN JENKINSON and ALFRED DICKSON, both of Leicester, in
the County of Leicester, Pressed Leather Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF COMPRESSED LEATHER," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the utilization and adaptation of untanned
fleshing pieces cut from hides and skins, and which are technically
known as "spetches" or "spatches," to the manufacture of compressed
leather. Such untanned fleshing pieces are waste pieces cut by
machines which are employed to split hides or skins, and are made or
obtained in the first cutting operation taken by the machine in
levelling the hide or skin under treatment before proceeding to cut a

page_text: sheet of uniform thickness from it. These pieces being of large size
are adapted for the manufacture of compressed leather of very superior
quality. The untanned fleshing pieces are in the first instance
immersed in bi-sulphide of carbon or carbonic di-sulphide, by which
means the grease with which the untanned fleshing pieces, from being 5
cut from the inside of the skin, are largely impregnated, and which
it is requisite to remove before the untanned fleshing pieces can be
used for the manufacture of compressed leather, is extracted. The
untanned fleshing pieces are then cut to the required size and are laid
on each other until the desired thickness is obtained, and subjected to 1
pressure, as well known and understood.
When the compressed leather is required to be of a softer and more
pliable nature than when made from the raw or untanned fleshing
pieces simply treated as before described, a dilute solution of bi-
chromate of potass or potassic di-chromate is employed for a longer or ]
shorter period, according to the strength of the solution used, by which
means the gelatine contained in the untanned fleshing pieces is rendered
insoluble, and the latter become more porous and flexible.
In some cases it is preferable to usc for the same purpose the ordinary
process employed in manufacturing tawed or alumed leather by im- ?
mersion in a bath of alum and salt.
In carrying this Invention into practice, it is proposed in some cases
to use the untanned fleshing pieces in alternate layers with curriers'
shavings, pieces split from soleing or upper leather waste, whereby a
compressed leather of great tenacity and solidity will be obtained.
It should be observed that the grease which is extracted from the
untanned fleshing pieces, forms an important bye-product in carrying
out this Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Jenkinson and Alfred Dickson in the 30
Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th July 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
JENKINSON and ALFRED DICKSON, both of Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, Pressed Leather Manufacturers, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in
the thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said John Jenkinson and
Alfred Dickson, Her special licence that we, the said John Jenkinson
and Alfred Dickson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said John Jenkinson and Alfred Dickson, 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 Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPRESSED LEATHER," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said John Jenkinson and Alfred Dickson, 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 im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Jenkinson and Alfred
Dickson, 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, that is to say:
Our said Invention consists in the utilization and adaptation of
untanned fleshing pieces cut from hides and skins, and which are.
technically known as "spetches," "spatches," or "middles," to the
manufacture of compressed leather. Such untanned fleshing pieces
are waste pieces cut by machines which are employed to split hides
or skins, and are made or obtained in the first cutting operation taken
by the machine in levelling the hide or skin under treatment before
and after proceeding to cut a sheet of uniform thickness from it. These
pieces being of large size are adapted for the manufacture of compressed
leather of very superior quality. The untanned fleshing pieces we
immerse in the first instance in bi-sulphide of carbon or carbonic di-
sulphide, by which means the grease (with which the untanned fleshing.
pieces from being cut from the inside of the skin, are largely impreg-

page_text: nated, and which it is requisite to remove before the untanned fleshing
pieces can be used for the manufacture of compressed leather) is
extracted. We then cut the untanned fleshing pieces to the required
size and lay them on each other until the desired thicknes is obtained,
and subject them to pressure, as well known and understood.
When the compressed leather is required to be of a softer and more.
pliable nature than when made from the raw or untanned fleshing
pieces simply treated as before described, we employ a dilute solution
of bi-chromate of potass or potassic di-chromate for a longer or shorter
period, according to the strength of the solution used, by which means
the gelatine contained in the untanned fleshing pieces is rendered
insoluble, and the latter become more porous and flexible.
In some cases we prefer to use for the same purpose the ordinary
process employed in manufacturing tawed or alumed leather by im-
mersion in a bath of alum and salt.
In carrying this Invention into practice, we propose in some cases
to use the untanned fleshing pieces in alternate layers with curriers'
shavings, pieces split from soleing, or upper leather waste, whereby a
compressed leather of great tenacity and solidity is obtained.
The method of carrying our Invention into effect, which by preference
we employ, is as follows:-We first wash the fleshings to remove the
lime, then dry the untanned fleshing pieces by any convenient means,
and then subject them to the action of the bi-sulphide of carbon or
carbonic di-sulphide in a closed vessel provided with a pipe leading
from its cover into a distilling apparatus. This closed vessel we, by
preference, divide into two compartments by means of a false bottom.
These two compartments are connected by a pipe passing from one to
the other on the exterior of the vessel, such pipe being provided with a
stop-cock. We fill or nearly fill the upper compartment of the closed
vessel with untanned fleshing pieces, and add thereto the requisite
quantity of bi-sulphide of carbon, and allow them to remain in contact
about twelve hours. The stop-cock in the pipe connecting the two
compartments is then opened, and the bi-sulphide of carbon and grease
run off into the lower compartment, the skins being left to drain for
about half an hour, when they are ready to be taken out of the vessel
and used. The lower compartment of the vessel may be surrounded
by a steam jacket, which may be employed for separating the grease
E

page_text: from the bi-sulphide of carbon by distillation, and thus render the latter
fit for use again with another lot of untanned fleshing pieces.
After the grease has been extracted we soften the skin by any
convenient means, as herein-before described, so as to render it more
pliable than it otherwise would be, afterwards laying it in layers on zinc
or iron plates cither by itself or in alternate layers of curriers' shavings,
tanned fleshing pieces, or other suitable waste material, and subject the
whole to pressure in a hydraulic press, as will be well understood by
persons conversant with the manufacture of compressed leather.
We would here observe that the grease which is extracted from the
untanned fleshing pieces, forms an important bye-product in carrying
out our present Invention.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would
observe in conclusion that what we consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured to us by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, are,—
First. The extraction of the grease from untanned skins or fleshing
pieces by means of bi-sulphide of carbon or carbonic di-sulphide in the
process of manufacturing compressed leather, substantially as herein-
before set forth and described.
And secondly. The manufacture of compressed leather, as herein-
before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Jenkinson and Alfred Dickson,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of
July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-two.