IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING OR FINISHING LEATHER
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Newall and James Barker, of Warrington,
in the County of Lancaster, Millwrights and Engineers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING
OR FINISHING LEATHER,"
Sealed the 31st December 1872, and dated the 3rd July 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Newall and
and James Barker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 3rd July 1872.
We, PETER NEWALL and JAMES BARKER, of Warrington, in the
County of Lancaster, Millwrights and Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR AP-
PARATUS FOR DRESSING OR FINISHING LEATHER," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to that description of machine in which there
is a rising and falling table, on which the pieces of leather are placed,
and a revolving drum fitted with dressers for dressing or finishing the

page_text: leather, and our Invention consists in certain improvements connected
with the table, and in improved constructions and forms of the knives
or dressers.
Instead of raising the table bodily at both ends or at one end only
we raise it directly in the centre in a vertical line central with the axis
of the drum, the vertical direction being maintained by guides at the
ends of the table, or by any parallel motion, and the pressure is given
to and taken off the table by a weighted or spring lever and treadle in
the usual manner.
We make the dressers on the drum, whether they are of steel, gun
metal, glass, stoneware, brushes, stone, or other material, of an angular
form, extending entirely across the drum, to which it is bolted, the apex
of the angle being in line with the middle of the periphery of the drum,
and by this arrangement the dressers are much stronger than any
hitherto made, and great economy is effected.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Peter Newall and James Barker in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 3rd January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PETER
NEWALL and JAMES BARKER, of Warrington, in the County of Lan-
caster, Millwrights and Engineers, send greeting.
·
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Peter Newall and James Barker, Her special
license that we, the said Peter Newall and James Barker, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Peter Newall
and James Barker, 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

page_text: Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRESSING
OR FINISHING LEATHER," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Peter Newall and James Barker, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Peter Newall and James Barker,
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) :-
:-
This Invention relates to that description of machine in which there
is a rising and falling table on which the pieces of leather are placed,
and a revolving drum fitted with knives or dressers for dressing or
finishing the leather, and our Invention consists in certain improvements
connected with the table, and in improved constructions and forms of
the knives or dressers.
Instead of raising the table bodily at both ends or at one end only,
we raise it directly in the centre in a vertical line central with the axis
of the drum, the vertical direction being maintained by guides at the
ends of the table, or by any parallel motion, and the pressure is given
to and taken off the table by a weighted or spring lever and treadle in.
the usual manner.
We make cach knife or dresser on the drum, whether they are of steel,
gun metal, glass, stoneware, brushes, stone, or other material, of an
angular form, extending entirely across the drum, to which it is bolted,.
the apex of the angle being in line with the middle of the periphery of
the drum, and by this arrangement the dressers are much stronger than
any hitherto made, and great economy is effected.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the
Figures and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which
Figs. 1 and 2 are front and end elevations of a leather dressing or
finishing machine constructed according to our improvements, and Figs. 3,

page_text: 4, 5, 6, and 7, are detached views of parts of the same; Figures 1, 2, 3,
4, and 5, being drawn to a scale of one inch and a half to the foot, and
Figs. 6 and.7 to three inches to the foot.
In Figs. 1 and 2, a, b, c, represent, the framework of the machine;
d, the driving shaft; e, the fast and loose pulleys; and f, the revolving
drum. The moveable table on which the leather is placed may be either
of one piece or composed of two frames or boxes g, h, but in either case
there are parallel sides i fitted in guides & bolted to the cross frame b,
and on the bottom of the box there are lugs m jointed to the top end
of a connecting rod n, the bottom end of which is jointed to a weighted
treadle, working on the fulcrum o, the foot part of the treadle being
marked p, and the weighted part q, and at there is a screw having
lock nuts for adjusting the treadle and table as required. The upper
part of the table is fitted on the ends of the lower one, and has in it a
smooth plate of metal or other material s, having its centre central with
the axis of the drum, but the table may be arranged in various ways,
always provided that it can be moved up and down vertically.
The knives or dressers on the druin fare each of one piece, of an
angular form, as shewn in the detached views of one of the knives Figs. 6
and 7, each knife having its apex in line with the middle of the periphery
of the drum, the flange u by which it is bolted to the drum being of the
same angle, and it will be seen that by these forms and positions of the
knives they overlap cach other and combiné great strength with the
certainty of not being shifted by the action of working, and as the drum
is perpendicular to or at right angles with the upper surface of the table,
the knives or dressers have an even and parallel action on the surface of
the leather.
Having now described the nature and particulars of our said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to
be understood that we claim,—
First. The forms and positions of the knives or dressers so that they
overlap each other and combine great strength with certainty of action.
Secondly. The system of moving the table perpendicular to or at right
angles with the drum.
And, thirdly. The screw at the front having lock nuts for adjusting

page_text: the treadle and table as required, as all such improvements are herein-
described and illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the. said Peter Newall, for and on behalf
of myself and the said James Barker, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
before-named Peter Newall, in the
presence of
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
PETER NEWALL. (L.S.)