IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE LEATHER, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Garrett Tongue, of the firm of Tongue & Birkbeck,
Patent Agents & Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE LEATHER, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO
VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Jolissaint
Vonèche, and la Société Comte and Mabut, of Paris, France.
Scaled the 23rd September 1876, and dated the 6th April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Garrett Tongue at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th April 1876.
JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue & Birkbeck, Patent Agents &
Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE LEATHER, AND IN THE
APPLICATION THEREOF TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES." A communication from
abroad by Jolissaint Vonèche, and la Société Comte and Mabut, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to a new or improved process of manufacturing imitation
or artificial leather, " textile leather," and in the application thereof to various
useful purposes.
The base or body of the composition constituting the new manufacture is composed
of cotton or cotton waste (according to the quality of textile leather to be produced),
or of any other textile material which can be carded and used as cotton, also wool,
or any kind of animal hair which can be felted into sheets of wadding or carded felt
uniform in thickness, length, and width. The sheets are placed on a table of polished
metal plates having a false bottom and heated by steam. The sheets of madding or
felt are impregnated with animal glue or size made of a concentrated decoction of
rabbit, hare, cat, or dog skins, deprived of hair, waste of skins, or green leather, guts
and membranes of all kinds of animals, which have first been well cleansed and
then cut into narrow strips. When the decoction is well clarified and of sufficient
substance and made hot the coloring matter which is to be given to the leather
is added with a slight addition of glycerine, which varies according to the suppleness
and elasticity required. The sheets of wadding or felt after being well saturated
with the decoction, rollers are passed over the surface in order to make the sheets
of an uniform thickness which are left until the watery part is completely eva-
porated. The polished metal table requires a slight incline in order that the excess
[Price 4d.j

page_text: of the decoction which saturates the textile material may run away, after which the
table is placed level in order that the sheets may be uniformly saturated with the
size or glue decoction. The textile leather being sufficiently dry it is easily removed
from the polished metal table, and when cold is ready for use. The colour to bo
given to the leather may be either added to the glue or size, or well put on to the
surface after being cold.
Another method of preparing the same kind of leather for the use of sole leather
consists in making square blocks of cotton, wadding waste, wool, or hair according
to the quality of sole leather required, and when well saturated with size or glue,
with the addition of glycerine whilst hot, is pressed in a hydraulic press and dried
in a stove, and then either sawn or cut according to the thickness of the sole leather
required.
Another kind of sole leather is obtained by saturating sheets of paper, either
white or colored, with the said glue or size, they are then placed one above the
other until the required thickness is obtained, and they are pressed whilst hot by
means of an hydraulic press, and in that state sole leather may be obtained of good
quality for the manufacture of shoes.
This new or improved textile leather can be used in place of natural leather, either
as morocco, embossed, gilt, coloured, or varnished leather.
This improved textile leather can be used in place of natural leather, and may be
employed in particular for covering tables, chairs, sofas, travelling bags, lining of
hats, caskets, carriages, harness, military equipments, slippers, bookbinding, and many
other uses to which it may be applicable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John Garrett Tongue in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th October
1870.
JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEXTILE LEATHER, AND IN THE
APPLICATION THEREOF TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES. A communication from
abroad by Jolissaint Vonèche, and la Société Comte and Mabut, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to a new or improved process of manufacturing imitation
or artificial leather, "textile leather," and in the application thereof to various useful
purposes.
The base or body of the composition constituting this new manufacture is
composed of cotton or cotton waste (according to the quality of textile leather to
be produced), or of any other textile material or leather waste (sorted) which can
be carded and used as cotton, also wool or any kind of animal hair which can be
dyed and felted into sheets of wadding or carded felt uniform in thickness, length,
and width. These sheets slightly coated with vegetable wax are placed on a table
of polished metal plates having a false bottom and heated by steam. The sheets of
wadding or felt aro first steeped in a solution of acetate of aluminum and left to
drain, and then impregnated with animal glue or size made of a concentrated decoction
of rabbit, hare, cat, or dog skins, deprived of air, waste of skins, or green leather,
guts and membranes of all kinds of animals, which have first been well cleansed
and then cut into narrow strips. When the decoction is well clarified and of
sufficient substance and made hot the coloring matter which is to be imparted to
the leather is added, and similar to the sheets of dyed wadding or felt, but with a
slight addition of glycerine, which may vary according to the suppleness and
elasticity required. The sheets of wadding or felt after being sufficiently satuarated
with the decoction, rollers are passed over the surface in order to make the sheets
of an uniform thickness, which are left until the watery part is completely eva-
porated. The textile leather being sufficiently dry and easily removed from

page_text: the polished metal table is then passed through heated rollers, polished, and when
cold is ready for use.
Another method of preparing the same kind of leather for sole leather or other
similar uses consists in making square blocks of cotton, wadding waste, wool, or
hair, or any kind of waste leather (sorted), and carded according to the quality of
solc or other leather required, and when well saturated with size or glue, with an
addition of glycerine whilst hot, is pressed in an hydraulic press and dried in a
suitable stove, and then either sawn or cut according to the thickness of the sole or
other leather required.
Another kind of sole leather is obtained by saturating sheets of paper, either white
or coloured, with the said glue or size, and placed one above the other until the
required thickness is obtained, then pressed whilst hot by means of hydraulic
pressure, and in that state sole leather may be obtained of good quality for the manu-
facture of shoes.
This new or improved textile leather may be employed in place of natural
leather, either as morocco, embossed, gilt, coloured, or varnished leather.
This improved textile leather can be employed in place of natural leather and may
be employed in particular for covering tables, chairs, sofas, travelling bags, lining of
hats, caskets, carriages, harness, military equipments, slippers, bookbinding, and
Imany other purposes to which it may be applicable.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of per-
forming or carrying the same into practice, what I claim under the above in part
recited Letters Patent is―
The manufacture and application of a new or improved material or compound
entitled textile leather from fibrous and other materials, substantially in the
manner herein-before described, its use and applications being similar to ordinary
leather as regards strength, elasticity, and durability, but much cheaper.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Garrett Tongue, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
JOHN GARRETT TONGUE. (L.S.)