IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BOARDING, SOFTENING, AND GRAINING LEATHER.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William John Coogan, of Pittsfield, in the
County of Berkshire, and State of Massachusetts, United States,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BOARDING,
SOFTENING, AND GRAINING LEATHER.'
"
Sealed the 18th May 1878, and dated the 12th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John Coogan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th March 1878.
I, WILLIAM JOHN COOGAN, of Pittsfield, in the County of Berkshire,
and State of Massachusetts, United States, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BOARDING,
SOFTENING, AND GRAINING LEATHER," to be as follows :—
My Invention consists in the improvement of leather boarding,
softening, and graining machines as herein-after described.
The process of boarding, softening, and graining leather is generally

page_text: doubled leather which is on a flat table. This vibrating plate operates
slowly and makes the process consequently expensive.
"
Now according to my Invention I use two cylinders or rollers
mounted parallel to each other in a frame, and geared in such manner
that they will revolve in the same direction. One of the rollers is
mounted vertically in adjustable bearings so that its own weight or
apparatus connected with it may be used to press it against the other
roller. The leather is doubled, placed between the two rollers, and rotary
motion then imparted to the latter. The two layers of leather are
thereby drawn in opposite directions; the leather is thus constantly folded 1
in a new place and consequently softened, and on the inner side at the
same time grained or boarded in the desired manner. The rollers are
smooth or roughened and made of any suitable material.
4
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William John Coogan in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th September 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JOHN COOGAN, of Pittsfield, in the County of Berkshire, and State of
Massachusetts, United States, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William John Coogan, Her special licence
that I, the said William John Coogan, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William John Coogan, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR BOARDING, SOFTENING, AND GRAINING LEATHER," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William John Coogan, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or

page_text: means of the treadle ; and rope or chain & attached thereto, as shewn,
and thereby placed between them. A rotary motion is then imparted to
the two rollers. The two layers of leather are thereby drawn in opposite
direction as indicated by arrows in Figure 2. By these means the
leather is constantly folded in a new place and consequently softened, 5
and on the inner side at the same time grained or boarded in the desired
manner. The rollers a and b are smooth or roughened and made of any
suitable material.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I do not limit myself to ]
the exact limits, details, and configuration of parts I have explained and
shewn as the same may of course be varied or modified without in any
way departing from my Invention; but what I do claim and desire to be
secured to me by Letters Patent is,—
Firstly. The arrangement and construction of conductor plate d, and 1
parts connected therewith for the purpose of placing the leather between
the rollers, substantially as herein set forth.
Secondly. The arrangement and combination of various parts of
machine, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William John Coogan, have here- 2
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.