Improvements in Machines for Softening Hides and Skins.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1899-Accepted, 8th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Softening Hides and Skins.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM GLAZIER, of 1, Willow Avenue, Salem Essex County, State
of Massachusetts, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to improvements in machines for softening hides and
skins, and it consists in improved and simplified mechanism for opening and
closing the hide or skin, griping devices and also mechanism for adjusting the
position of the yielding roll relative to the blade or scraper during the operation
of the machine, as will hereinafter be more fully shown and described, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings-where-
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the improved machine, showing the yield-
ing roll and the scraper as being closed against opposite sides of the hide or skin
during the backward movement of the gripping device.
Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the machine showing the gripping
mechanism expanded during its forward movement-and-
Fig. 3 represents a detailed bottom plan view of the forward end of the roller
carrying lever and means for adjusting said roller relative to the scraper during
the operation of the machine.
Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts
of the drawings.
In the drawings A represents the frame of the machine in bearings in which
is journaled the rotary driving shaft B to which is attached the balance wheel C
having a crank D to which is pivotally connected the link or connecting rod E,
the forward end of which is pivotally connected at e to a bracket F1 having made
integral with it a carrier F which is adapted to move longitudinally in suitable
guides in the frame A as shown.
Integral with the carrier. F¹ is made an upwardly projecting bracket Fas
shown
G is the scraper carrying lever which is pivoted at g to the bracket F, and it
is provided at its forward end with a preferable curved blade or scraper H adapted
to remove the surplus matter from the fresh side of a hide or skin, I interpose
between it and the elastic roller K which is journaled on the underside of the
forward end of a lever L pivoted at 6 to the bracket F" as shown.
Back of the scraper H is secured to the lever G, a blunt blade h serving to
remove wrinkles from the hide or skin in advance of the point where the scraping
blade acts, as is common in devices of this kind.
J
It will be noticed that a longitudinal forward and back movement is imparted
by the crank D and connecting rod E to the carrier F¹, its bracket F and the
levers G, L pivoted to the latter.
The mechanism for automatically holding the roller K against the scrapers H, h
and the hide or skin interposed between such roller and scrapers during the back-
ward movement of the levers G, L is constructed as follows-m is a rock shaft
}

page_text: journaled in a bracket f" made integral with the slide F¹ and bracket F, and
to said rock shaft is secured a cam M adapted when rocked during the backward
movement of the levers G, L to come in contact with the rear portions of the said
levers, (or adjustable plates secured thereto) by which the forward ends of the
said levers are closed sufliciently to press the skin or hide with a proper friction
between the roller K and scrapers H, h.
To the rock shaft m are secured cranks N, N to which are pivotally connected
links or rods N,N', the lower ends of which are pivotally connected to the lever E,
and it will thus be seen that a rocking motion is imparted to the cam M directly
from the connecting rod E during the rotation of the shaft B for the purpose
stated.
During the forward motion of the carrier F and the levers G, L pivoted to it,
the cam Al ceases to act on said levers and they are then automatically expanded
as shown in Fig. 2, by the influence of a spring or springs O connected to the
rear ends of the said levers G, L, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
R represents the work supporting table secured in a suitable manner to the
frame A, and to its outer end is secured a rubber cushion or bar S, to enable the
operator to better hold the skin during the scraping action, by bearing the same
against said cushion or roll with his body as usual.
In machines of this kind it is very desirable to enable the operator to adjust
the roller K relative to the scrape H during the operation of the machine, so as
to compensate for variations in the thickness of the hide or skin that is being,
operated on, and for this purpose I journal the roller K in a plate or bracket T
which is longitudinally adjustable on the lever L or a plate t attached thereto
as shown in the drawings.
In practice I prefer to adjust the position of the roller K by means of a hand
wheel Vattached to a spindle journaled in the plate t and provided with a bevel
gear meshing in a similar gear V" attached to a screw threaded spindle V3
journaled in the plate t and working in a screw threaded perforation on the
bracket or slide T as shown in detail in Fig. 3.
It will thus be seen that the operator can readily adjust the position of the
roller K relative to the scraper H simply by turning the hand wheel V during the
operation of the machine as may be required according to variations in the thick-
ness of the hide or skin operated upon.
I prefer to adjust the roller K by means of the handwheel, gears and screws as
described, but I wish to state that I do not confine myself to this exact arrange-
ment, as equivalents may be used without departing from the essence of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a machine for softening hides or skins in combination, a rotary crank
or wheel, a reciprocating carrier a connecting rod between said parts, a pair of
spring pressed fevers pivoted to said carrier, a rock shaft intermediate between
said levers, a cam and crank secured to said rock-shaft, a link connecting said
crank and connecting-rod, and a roller and scraping device attached to the forward
ends of said levers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
.
2. In a machine for softening hides or skins, a pair of expansive and longi-
tudinally movable levers, one of said levers having a scraper or scrapers and the
other having an adjustable roller and means substantially as described for adjust-
ing said roller to and from the scrapers substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
3. In a machine for softening hides or skins, in combination, a pair of longi-
tudinally movable oscillating spring actuated levers a cam for closing such levers
during their backward movement, and a spring for expanding them
during their forward motion, a scraper or scrapers attached rigidly to one of

page_text: the levers and a roller journaled on the opposite lever, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.)
4. In a machine for softening skins or hides, in combination, a reciprocating
carrier, a pair of scraper levers pivotally connected to said carrier, a spring for
expanding said levers, and a cam for closing the said levers, said cam being
actuated by a link connected to the connecting-rod that imparts a reciprocating
motion to the carrier, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1899.
Agents to Applicant,
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.