Improvements in or connected with Cylinders or Rotating Vessels for use in Tanning or otherwise Treating Hides or Skins, Washing, Emulsifying, Churning, or like Operations, Applicable also for the Treatment of Materials in Vacuo or under Fluid Pressure or the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Cylinders or Rotating Vessels
for use in Tanning or otherwise Treating Hides or Skins,
Washing, Emulsifying, Churning, or like Operations, Applicable
also for the Treatment of Materials in Vacuo or under Fluid
Pressure or the like.
We BENJAMIN NICHOLSON of The Torrs South Norwood in the County of Surrey
Gentleman and THOMAS PALMER of Ashbrook Sevenoaks in the County of Kent
Bachelor of Science and Fellow of the Chemical Society do hereby declare the nature
of this Invention to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to provide Cylinders or rotating vessels for use in
washing tanning or otherwise treating hides or skins such for instance as grainering
or bating or for emulsifying churning or like operations or for purposes where it is
desirous of impregnating materials in vacuo or under steam air gas or other fluid
pressure for generating gases or aerating liquids and the like into which cylinders or
rotating vessels the tan or other liquors or vapours gases or materials
can be
conveniently admitted or forced and the liquors and the air gases or the like be with-
drawn without stopping the rotation of the Cylinder or vessel.
According to this Invention there is provided at one or at both ends of the Cylinder
or vessel a hollow central support upon which the axis of the cylinder or vessel is
fitted by suitable bushings so that it can rotate thereon. Communicating with the
end of this hollow support which projects inside the Cylinder or vessel is a tube
extending upwards to near the upper part of the interior of the Cylinder or vessel and
outside the Cylinder or vessel a pipe leading to an air pump or the like is connected
so that air or other fluid can be drawn out from or forced into the space above the
tanning liquors or other contents of the Cylinder or vessel whatever the position of
the Cylinder or vessel and whether the said Cylinder or vessel be rotating or not.
In order to enable the liquors to be admitted and withdrawn whatever the position
of the Cylinder or vessel and whether it be rotating or not a pipe is passed through
the aforesaid hollow support and therefrom downwards into the interior of the
Cylinder or vessel near to the lower part thereof and this it may be convenient to
connect with a reservoir or other source of liquor supply. To the outer portion of
this pipe an outlet branch is attached and cocks or valves on this branch and on the
pipe to the liquor tank enable communication to be made for running in or for
withdrawing liquors either of which operations can be effected while the drum or
cylinder is in motion. This pipe may be cast or otherwise made in one with a
longitudinal division so as to form two passages which are employed for the
purposes of the aforesaid two pipes one passage being used for transmitting air or
other gas or fluid and the other passage for liquor. To support hides or skins or
such like articles to be treated in the Cylinder or vessel metal rods or tubes are
used which preferably pass through the cylinder ends thereby serving the purpose
of tie rods as well as supports for the hides or the like and the said rods or
tubes are secured by collars and washers and nuts. On these rods or tubes are
passed eyes or short tubes each carrying a hook-like or angled piece which can be
either a single hook or angled piece or a double hook or piece angled in both
directions. The stems of these hooks or angled pieces can be made so that they
can be lengthened or shortened. Eye pieces or perforated buttons are inserted
into the hides or skins or other articles to be suspended and being passed over
these hooks or angled pieces the hides or the like are held thereby in proper
position to be acted upon by the contents of the cylinder or vessel and can be

page_text: readily removed and replaced. These buttons or eye pieces may be made in two
pieces one screwing into the other. The rods are so situated that the angles or
other suitable parts of the hides or the like by which they are supported can be
situated in alternately different positions in the Cylinder or vessel.
Dated this 24th day of January 1889.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London,. Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Cylinders or Rotating Vessels
for use in Tanning or otherwise Treating Hides or Skins,
Washing, Emulsifying, Churning, or like Operations, Applicable
also for the Treatment of Materials in Vacuo or under Fluid
Pressure or the like.
We, BENJAMIN NICHOLSON of The Torrs South Norwood in the County of Surrey
Gentleman and THOMAS PALMER of Ashbrook Sevenoaks in the County of Kent
Bachelor of Science and Fellow of the Chemical Society do hereby declare the
nature of this Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The principal object of this Invention is to provide cylinders or rotating vessels for
use in washing tanning or otherwise treating hides or skins such for instance as
grainering or bating or for emulsifying churning or like operations, or for purposes
where it is desirous of impregnating materials in vacuo or under steam, air gas or
other fluid pressure, for generating gases or aërating liquids and the like into which
cylinders or rotating vessels the tan or other liquors or vapours, gases or materials can
be conveniently admitted or forced and the liquors and the air gases or the like be
withdrawn without stopping the rotation of the cylinder or vessel.
According to this Invention there is provided at one or both ends of the cylinder or
vessel a hollow central support upon which the axis of the cylinder or vessel is fitted
by suitable bushings so that it can rotate thereon. In connection with the end of this
hollow support which projects inside the cylinder or vessel is a tube extending
upwards to near the upper part of the interior of the cylinder or vessel and outside
the cylinder or vessel a pipe leading to an air pump or the like is connected so that
air or other fluid can be drawn out from or forced into the space above the tanning
liquors or other contents of the cylinder or vessel whatever the position of the cylinder
or vessel and whether the said cylinder or vessel be rotating or not. In order to
enable the liquors to be admitted and withdrawn whatever the position of the cylinder
or vessel and whether it be rotating or not a pipe is passed through the aforesaid
hollow support and therefrom downwards into the interior of the cylinder or vessel
near to the lower part thereof and this it may be convenient to connect with a
reservoir or other source of liquor supply. To the outer portion of this pipe an outlet
branch is attached and cocks or valves on this branch and on the pipe to the liquor
tank enable communication to be made for running in or for withdrawing liquors
either of which operations can be effected while the drum or cylinder is in motion.
Instead of passing a pipe through the hollow support the said support may be cast or
otherwise made with a longitudinal division so as to form two passages, one passage
for transmitting air or other gas or fluid, and the other passage for liquor. To support
hides or skins or such like articles to be treated in the cylinder or vessel metal rods
or tubes are used which preferably pass through the cylinder ends thereby serving the
purpose of tie rods as well as supports for the hides or the like and the said rods or
tubes are secured by collars and washers and nuts. On these rods or tubes are passed
eyes or short tubes each carrying a hook like or angled piece which can be either a
single hook or angled piece or a double hook or piece angled in both directions. The
stems of these hooks or angled pieces can be made if so desired so that they can be

page_text: lengthened or shortened. Eye pieces or perforated buttons are inserted into the hides
or skins or other articles to be suspended and being passed on to these hooks or angled.
pieces, the hides or the like are held thereby in proper position to be acted upon by
the contents of the cylinder or vessel and can be readily removed and replaced.
These buttons or eye pieces may be made in two pieces one screwing into the other.
The rods are so situated that the angles or other suitable parts of the hides or the like
by which they are supported can be situated in alternately different positions in the
cylinder or vessel.
And in order that this Invention may be fully understood we will now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
Figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal section a portion of a drum or rotating vessel
constructed according to this Invention for treating hides and the like Figure 2 is
an end elevation shewing the driving gear Figure 3 is an end elevation of the
drum shewing the construction of the heads and Figure 4 is a transverse section
taken along the line 1-2 Figure 1. The vessel A consists of a cylinder built up of
wooden staves a connected together by tongues 6 and supported in the interior by
rings or hoops c. The staves a are bound securely together on the outside by metal
bands d preferably made in segments provided at their ends with nuts c the adjacent
ends of these segments being connected together by screw bolts provided at their
opposite ends respectively with a right and a left handed screw, the nuts e on the
adjacent ends of the segments into which they screw being correspondingly right
and left handed so that by turning the screws f in one direction, the ends of bands ·
or segments will be drawn closer together and thereby tightly bind the staves on to
the internal rings or hoops c.
The heads B of the drum which are made specially strong to carry or support the
weight of the hides or the like consist of planks g connected together by tongues
and rebated into the staves a as shown at h Fig. 1-The centre of the head is
provided with a projecting boss round which and at a short distance therefrom is
arranged concentric thereto a ring composed of segments dowelled together and
maintained at the required distance from the boss by distance pieces 7. Outside the
ring are arranged concentrically thereto two other rings m m³ also formed of
segments dowelled together. These two rings are in contact one within the other
and are maintained at the required distance from the ring k by distance pieces n
other radiating distance pieces o being interposed between the outer ring and the
ends of the staves which project outside the planks g. It will be seen. that by the
combination of the rings km m' and radiating distance pieces l n and o as described
great strength is given to the heads enabling them to withstand considerable pressure
In the
and to carry great weight without liability to their becoming distorted.
interior of the drum at a short distance from each head B is another head C built
up of planks attached to battens g, spaces being left between the planks to admit of
the tanning liquid passing through to between the heads B and C. The false head C
is provided at or near the centre with an opening covered by a door or removable
flap for the purpose hereinafter described.
To each of the heads B there is attached by means of bolts s and nuts a casting D,
constituting the axis of one of the axles or trunnions on which the drum rotates,
and to this casting at one end of the drum there is bolted a worm wheel u with
which gears a worm for giving rotation to the drum. The worm vis fast on a
shaft or spindle w mounted on bearings in the standard y which carries the drum A,
the said worm being driven by power from any suitable prime mover.
The drum A is additionally strengthened by tie rods E which extend longitudinally
through the drum and are connected to the heads B B at the opposite ends thereof
by nuts 1 screwed on to the screwed ends of the tie rods E metallic washers being
interposed between the nuts and the heads to give a firm bearing surface for the
nuts. The tie rods E not only serve to strengthen the drum but also as supports

page_text: for the hides to be operated on, for which purpose short lengths of tubing are strung
on to the rods E one of which length of tubing is shewn detached in Figure
Each length of tubing 2 is provided with a stem 3 capable of being lengthened as
required and having its outer end bent at or about at a right angle to the stem, on
which angled part is fixed a button or stud 4 having on its periphery a groove as
shewn, to engage with an opening in the hide which it is to support. The upper
end of the stem 3 may if desired be provided with an additional angled piece as
shewn by dotted lines in Figure 5 so as to permit of its being attached to two hides,
And if desired the grooved button or stud 4 may be made in two parts screwed or
otherwise connected together so as to facilitate the attaching of the hides thereto.
The hides are suspended on these buttons or studs in a transverse position in the drum
and are each arranged slightly in advance of the one next to it so as to be more
effectually acted upon by the tanning liquid or the like when the apparatus is
at work.
We have shewn in the drawing one end only of the drum A but as both ends are
constructed in a similar manner, the description of one end will be sufficient to
describe both, but if desired one end only may be so constructed, the other end being
furnished with an ordinary trunnion or axle for the vessel to turn on.
The casting D constituting the axle on which the drum A rotates is hollow and
through the centre thereof is a tube or long bush 6 secured to the inner face of the
head by means of a flange 7 and screws 8 and its outer end is screwed to a gland
or stuffing box 9 outside the casing D. Passing through the stuffing box 9 and
bush 6, is a tube 10 which is divided longitudinally by a web or partition 11 into two
passages or channels 12 and 13. This tube 10 extends inside the drum to the space
provided between the inner face of the head B and the false head C and is provided
at its inner end with two branch pipes 14. 15. The branch pipe 14 communicates
with the passage 12 and extends upwards, whilst the other branch pipe 15
communicates with the passage 13 and extends downwards to within a short distance
of the interior circumference of the drum.
The end of the tube 10 outside the stuffing box 9 is conical and is provided with
passages communicating with pipes 16 and 17 attached to a corresponding conical
casing 17*.
The pipe 16 is connected with an air pump or vacuum apparatus and the
pipe 17 is connected with the reservoir or apparatus from which the drum is to be
supplied with tauning liquid or the like.
When the apparatus is in operation the drum rotates on the long bushes 6 which
remain stationary so that whether the drum be rotating or stationary liquid may be
introduced thereinto or withdrawn therefrom and air may be introduced or a vacuum
produced above the surface of the liquid as desired. To ascertain the degree of
vacuum in the drum A, a vacuum gauge 18 shewn in front elevation in Figure 6 is
fitted on to the pipe 17 and gauges 19, (one of which is shewn detached in Figure 7)
are also fitted on the drum head B to indicate the level or quantity of liquid in the
drum. When the drum is charged with hides, the weight thereof is carried by the
hends B, there being very little strain on the cylindrical portion thereof, and when a
vacuum is formed in the drum the atmospheric pressure on the exterior of the drum
heads is very efficiently resisted by the rings k. m. m² and the radiating distance
pieces 7. n. o so that distortion of the drum is prevented. The hides are introduced
and removed from the drum through the manhole 20 which is closed by a cover 21
secured in position by bolts and nuts 22 and in order to facilitate the opening of this
man hole set screws 23 Figure 1ª are provided for releasing the cover when it is
desired to open the said man hole. The pipe 10 through which the air and liquid
pass to and from the interior of the drum may be readily detached when required by
first removing the screw 26 from the outer end of the conical casing 17" and then
detaching the branch pipes 14 and 15 from the inner end of the pipe 10 which may
be readily effected from the interior of the drum through the opening in the false
head C herein before referred to, after which the pipe 10 may be withdrawn from the
interior of the casting D and the long bush 6 into the interior of the drum through

page_text: the said opening and replaced again when required. Instead of the divided pipe 10
by the diaphragm hereinbefore described a pipe of less diameter than the pipe 10 may
be passed therethrough as shewn in Figure 8 the said inner pipe 24 being connected
at one end to the depending brauch 15 in the interior of the drum and at its outer
end to the liquid supply apparatus the outer pipe 10 being connected at its inner
end to the branch pipe 15 and at its outer end to an air pump or vacuum
apparatus.
The hides or skins being suspended on the buttons or studs 4 as herein before
described, liquor is admitted through the passage 13 in the pipe 10 and branch pipe 15
till the drum or cylinder is (as shewn by the liquor gauges when the cylinder is at
rest) slightly more than half full. The supply of liquor is then discontinued and the
drum is rotated by means of the worm and worm wheel and during the time the
drum is rotating air is forced through the passage 12 and branch pipe 14 into the
space in the drum above the liquor whereby the liquor is forced into the pores of the
hides. The admission of air may after a time be stopped and air be drawn from the
vessel through the branch 14 and passage 12 by means of the air pump so as to
produce a partial vacuum in the vessel which will have the effect of opening the pores
of the hides or skins allowing the spent liquor to escape therefrom. The hides or
skins may thus be subjected alternately to the tanning liquor then to a current of air
whereby the liquor is forced into the pores of the hides then again to the liquor and
finally to a vacuum whereby the liquor is withdrawn from the pores and these
operations may be repented as often as may be found necessary the duration of each
operation being varied as required. Fresh liquor may be introduced into the drum or
vessel A as required either from the supply tanks or from another similar drum
or vessel and the spent liquor may be discharged from the vessel into the leaching
vats or colourers as desired.
The introduction of fresh liquor or the transfer of liquor from one drum to another
may be effected either while the drums are rotating or when they are stationary.
Thus two cylinders in connection with each other the one being charged with liquor
and the other being empty of liquor and it being required to pass the liquor from the
one drum to the other a vacuum is formed in the empty drum and air pressure is
introduced into the drum containing the liquor so that by the combined action of the
vacuum in the one drum and the air pressure in the other drum the liquor will be
readily transferred from the one vessel to the other. In practice it is preferred to
combine four drums or cylinders but any other number may be combined and all
may be connected with an air pump a force pump and the leaching vats or tanks so
that by simply opening and closing suitably arranged cocks the liquor from apy one
drum may be transferred to any one of the other drums or be run off into the leaching
vats as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
First: In or connected with drums or cylinders employed in tanning hides or
skins washing churning emulsifying and like purposes a hollow axle through which a
pipe divided by a longitudinal partition into two channels or passages passes to the
interior of the drum through one of which passages air gas or other fluid pressure
may be introduced into or withdrawn from the interior of the drum or cylinder the
other channel or passage being employed for the introduction and withdrawal of the
tanning or other liquor employed the whole being constructed and arranged
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings. Also the arrangement when there is employed in place
of the partitioned passages the arrangement of double pipes described with reference
to Figure 8.
Second-The mode of supporting the hides or skins in the drum by means of
buttons carried on angled rods attached to lengths of tubing mounted on the tie rods

page_text: which are connected to the opposite heads or ends of the drum substantially as herein-
before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Third: The general construction combination and arrangement of parts constituting
an improved apparatus for tanning hides or skins or for other purposes such as
washing churning and the like, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th dox of November 1980