IMPROVEMENTS IN TANNING
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MOSES
POOLE, of the Patent Office, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the second year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Moses
Poole, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the
said Moses Poole, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Moses Poole, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TANNING," communicated to me by a certain foreigner
residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I,
the said Moses Poole, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery, within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Moses Poole, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and the.
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer

page_text: tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say):
:-
The Invention relates to a mode of tanning by means of pressure of fluids,
whereby the liquor is caused to press, first, in one direction and then in
another. And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood, and
readily carried into effect, I will describe the apparatus employed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents an elevation of the apparatus, and Figure 2 a plan
thereof. The vessel into which the hides or skins to be tanned are placed
being of wood, bound round with iron hoops, and the lid or cover is held down
by iron clamps, as is clearly shewn by the Drawing; such clamps being
readily removed by withdrawing keys, and by means of screws and nuts; the
tightness of the clamps, and consequently of the lid or cover, may be ensured,
all which is clearly shwen in these Figures. Figure 3 is an elevation, and
Figure 4 a plan, of vessel made of iron, the cover being secured with screws
or nuts. In other respects the vessels, Figures 3 and 4, is substantially the
same as in Figures 1 and 2, and the mode of using them is the same. In
each of the Figures the same letters indicate similar parts. a, b, are two
cocks, and c is the supply pipe, and the pressure to the hides or skins will
depend on the altitude of this pipe; this pipe is connected to the upper and
Jower part of what I call the tanning vat, and the liquor will be caused to flow
in at the upper or lower part of the tanning vessel, according as the cock d or
d' is opened. Figure 5 shews the section of another apparatus similar to
those already referred to, but differing in respect to the mode of obtaining the
requisite pressure; for, in place of depending on the altitude of a column of
fluid, a weight, screw, or spring may be employed, as shown in the Drawing.
In this case the tanning vat, being filled by the pipe c, the cock e is to be
closed, and the plunger f either pressed down by means of weight, screw, or
spring, and correct pressure determined on, will be governed by the pressure
on the lever g pressing on the valve over the opening to the branch pipe, as
shown in the Drawing.
Having thus explained the nature of the apparatus employed, I will shortly
state the mode of operating. The cover being removed, and the tanning vat
empty, the hides or skins (previously suitably prepared, as is well understood),
are to be placed therein, placing between each layer a quantity of bark to
keep them separated, and a quantity of liquor is permitted to flow into the
tanning vat from time to time as it becomes filled with hides in such manner

page_text: as to displace any air which might otherwise remain; at the same time, how-
ever, the liquor is not to rise so high as to interfere with the man placing the
skins or hides in the tanning vat. When the vat is filled in this manner, the
cover is to be fastened down, and the liquor permitted to flow and drive out
the remainder of the air through the upper cock, when the same is to be closed
and the apparatus will be in working condition, and the operation is to be
carried on by alternately opening and closing the cocks d, d', in order to
change the direction of the pressure of the tanning liquor employed, and in
such manner the operation of tanning is to be carried on until the operation is
fully performed; the tanner occasionally removing the cover to examine the
progress of the process.
I would remark that I am aware that various means have been before
resorted to for tanning hides and skins by the pressure of fluids; I do not
therefore lay claim thereto unless the same be performed according to the
Invention herein described; but what I do claim is the mode herein described
of tanning bides and skins by means of the pressure of fluids, by means of
changing the direction of the pressure thereof, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Moses l'oole, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty ning