A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF DRESSING LAMB-SKIN LEATHER, AND CLEANING THE WOOL THERE- FROM
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ryall- Corry and James Barrett
Corry, Leather Dressers, of Queen Camel, in, the County of
Somerset, for the Invention of "A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD
OF DRESSING LAMB-SKIN LEATHER, AND CLEANING THE WOOL THERE-
FROM:"
Sealed the 29th July 1853, and dated the 29th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ryall-Corry
and James Barrett Corry at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 29th January 1853.
We; JOHN RYALL CORRY and JAMES BARRETT CORRY, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, for "A NEW AND IMPROVED
METHOD OF DRESSING LAMB-SKIN LEATHER, AND CLEANING THE WOOL
"THEREPROM," to be as follows: -
This Invention consists in a new and improved process and
system of tanning and dressing lamb skins, whereby the grains
"thereof are preserved bright and clear (provided the skins are not
damaged), and are at the same time free from "scrove" and other

page_text: imperfections to which leather is subject under the systems of
tanning and dressing hitherto employed.
And further, this Invention consists in a new process for cleansing
the wool after it has been taken from the skins during the process
of tanning and dressing, and of freeing it from the lime or other
alkaline with which it may be impregnated.
And we would observe, that leather dressed according to this In-
vention is more particularly applicable to the manufacture of gloves,
purses, stocks, caps, hat linings, and the binding of books, and to
such other purposes as require a bright and clear grained skin.
But in order that this Invention may be better understood we
will proceed to describe the mode to be practised in conducting the
process of tanning and dressing before mentioned.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS OF TANNING AND DRESSING.
The skins are to be worked and put into a tainting stove in the
manner usually practised by tanners, and they should be left there
until the operator can readily twitch out the wool with his finger
and thumb, and when they have attained this state they should
then be removed and subjected to the operation of "stiming" with
a knife in the manner usually practised; or before putting the skins
into the tainting stove they may be put into a solution of lime
liquor or salt and water, and there left for the space of about six
hours, and, after draining them in the manner usually practised,
they should be hung on crooks or otherwise suspended to prevent
them folding on each other in the tainting stove; or, instead of the
operation of "stiming" above mentioned, the skins may be thrown
into a pit or tub, or other vessel capable of holding water, and
having covered said skins with clean water they may be left to lic
loosely therein for the space of from one to six hours, according to
the size, substance, and nature of the skins; they should then be
removed, and the water drained therefrom, after which they should
be worked up in a pit, tub, or other convenient vessel containing a
solution of alkaline salt, either soda, potash, pearl-ash, or baralla, or

page_text: other alkaline substance or matter, either separately or in combina.
tion, or with clear lime water or lime added to it. And having
taken care that the skins are well covered with the above-mentioned
solution, they are then left immersed therein for the space of from
three to twelve hours, after which they should be taken out and
put in a heap for an hour or two to drain, and this process of im-
mersion should be repeated every twelve hours; the skins should
then be well opened by shaking them back loosely into the liquor
or solution above mentioned for the space of twenty-four hours or
more, according to the nature of the skins, and until the wool can
be easily removed therefrom by a blunt knife called the "puller'
and after the wool is removed from each skin, such skin should
then be thrown into a tub or other vessel containing clean water,
taking care that the water covers them, and when they have all
been immersed they should be taken out and left for the water to
drain therefrom, after which they should be thrown loosely into
another tub or vessel containing clean water, and be stirred therein;
they should then be left in the water for the space of from six to
thirty-six hours, according to the size and substance of the skins
and state of the weather (stirring them occasionally), until the
grease and other superfluous matter can be freely worked out of the
skin on the grain side, which may be effected by a blunt knife called
a "striker" on the beam, as usually practised; and after cach skin
has been worked over it should be thrown into a tub of clean water;
and when all the lot is worked over they should be rinced in
another tub or pit containing clean water, and then put into clean
weak lime as usually practised; and when the skins have remained
in the lime sufficiently long to work over well on the flesh side
they should then be put into a pit or vessel containing clean water,
and left therein for the space of from twelve to twenty-four hours,
after which the skins should be worked loosely in a tub either by
the hands of the workman or by stirring them with a pole or stick,
and said tub should contain a solution of muriatic or sulphuric acid
or any other suitable acid diluted to a strength sufficient to neutra-
lize the lime in the skin. The skins should then be taken out, and

page_text: left to drain for about from two to three hours, and afterwards
trodden or pounded in warm water in any convenient manner
until the skins become soft, when they should be taken out and well
drained; they should then be "trodden" in a solution of common
salt, rock salt, bay salt, saltpetre, salt prunella, or nitrate of soda
for the space of about half an hour, observing that it is only neces
sary to have a small quantity of solution during the operation of
"treadding;" after which the skins should be taken out to drain,
and then put into a sufficient quantity of clean water to soak out
the saline and objectionable matter. The skins should then be sub-
jected to the operation of "striking" over on the grain in the
manner cominonly practised, and finally "trodden" in a sinall
quantity of flour or bran; and having undergone all these several
processes, they are then in a fit state to be converted into leather,
which may be effected by any of the means in known and common
use for that purpose.
And as regards that part of this Invention which has reference
to a new process of cleansing the wool by the means herein-before
particularly described, it consists, firstly, in well washing the wool
in the manner usually practised, and after it is thoroughly washed
and the water drained therefrom it should then be worked up in a
tub or vessel containing a solution of sulphuric or other acid just
strong enough to neutralize any alkaline or limey matter contained
in the wool, and in this manner and by these means we effect our
improvements in tanning and dressing lamb skins.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said John Ryall Corry and James
Barrett Corry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
July 1853.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said John Ryall Corry and James
Barrett Corry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
JOHN RYALL CORRY and JAMES BARRETT CORRY, of Queen Camel, in
the County of Somerset, Leather Dressers, send greeting.
July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
JOHN RYALL CORRY and JAMES BARRETT CORRY, of Queen Camel, in
the County of Somerset, Leather Dressers, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,
in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto us, the said John Ryall Corry,
and James Barrett Corry, Her special licence that we, the said John
Ryall Corry and James Barrett Corry, our executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Ryall Corry
and James Barrett Corry, 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 Invention for "A NEW AND IMPROVED
METHOD OF DRESSING LAME-SKIN LEATHER, AND CLEANING THE WOOL
THEREFROM," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
John Ryall Corry and James Barrett Corry, by an instrument in
writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of
one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 John Ryall Corry and James
Barrett Corry, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following" "statement thereof,
that is to say:
The first part of our said Invention. consists in a new and im-
proved process and system, not hitherto practised, of tawing and
dressing lamb skins, whereby the grains of the skins are preserved
bright and clear (provided the skins are not damaged), and are at
the same time free from "scrove" and other imperfections to
which leather is subject under the systems of tawing and dressing
leather as hitherto practised.
The second part of our said Invention consists in a new process

page_text: or cleaning the wool after it has been taken from the skins during
the
process
of tawing and dressing, according to our said Invention,
and of freeing it from the lime or other alkaline substance or inatter
with which it may be impregnated.
We would observe that our said Invention is well calculated for
dressing foreign lamb skins, and that leather dressed according to our
said Invention is particularly applicable to the manufacture of gloves,
purses, stocks, caps, hat linings, and the binding of books, and to all
other purposes in which a bright and clear grained skin is required.
And in order to explain our said Invention as completely as pos-
sible we will proceed to describe the best means we are acquainted
with for carrying the same into practical effect.
DESCRIPTION OF PROCESS FOR EFFECTING THE TAWING AND DRESSING
OF LAMB SKINS.
At the commencement of the process the skins to be operated
upon are soaked in water, and when sufficiently soft they are
worked on the flesh side with an instrument used on a beam in the
manner usually practised by tawers, after which they are put into
a solution of either of the following ingredients, namely, salt or salt
prunella, saltpetre, nitrate of soda, or weak lime water, for about
six hours; they are then taken out and left to drain, after which
they are placed in a tainting stove, and hung upon crooks or other-
wise suspended therein so as to prevent the skins folding on each
other, and they should be left in the stove until the operator can
readily twitch out the wool with his finger and thumb, and when
they have attained this state they should then be removed from
the tainting stove, and subjected to the subsequent. operation of
"stiming" with a knife in the manner usually practised by tawers
and leather dressers so as to scrape off the slimy matter that rises
on the skin (or, instead of the operation of "stiming" above
mentioned, the skins may be thrown into a pit or tub or other
vessel containing clear water, in which they may be left to lay
loosely for the space of from one to six hours, according to the
size, substance, and nature of the skins); they should then be re-
moved, and the water drained therefrom, after which they should

page_text: be worked up in a pit, tub, or other convenient vessel containing
either of the following alkaline solutions, namely, soda, potash,
pearl-ash, barella, or other alkaline substance or matter, either
separately or in combination, or with clear lime water, or lime
added to the alkaline solution. And we would observe that great
care should be taken to have each of the skins well covered with
the above-mentioned alkaline solution composed of five parts of
alkali to one part of lime over every part thereof, in this state they
are to be left immersed in the solution for the space of from three
to twelve hours, after which they should be taken out and put in a
beap for an hour or two to drain, and this process of immersion
should be repeated about every six or twelve hours; the skins
should then be well opened by shaking them back loosely into the
liquor or solution above mentioned for the space of from six to
twenty-four hours or more, according to the nature of the skins,
and until the wool can be easily removed therefrom by a blunt
knife called the "puller ;" and after the wool is removed from each
skin, such skin should then be thrown into a tub or other vessel
containing clean water, taking care that the water covers all of the
skins, and when they have all been immersed and covered with
water they should be taken out and left for the water to drain
therefrom, after which they should be thrown loosely into another
tub or vessel containing clean water, and be stirred therein while
throwing them in; they should then be left in the water for the
space of from six to twenty-four hours, according to the size and
substance of the skins and state of the weather (stirring them
occasionally), until the grease and other superfluous matter can be
freely worked out of the skin on the grain side, which may be
effected by a blunt knife called a "striker" on the beam, as usually
practised; and after each skin has been worked over it should be
thrown into a tub of clean water to prevent the action of the
atmosphere on the grains of the skins; and when all the lot is
worked over they should be rinced in another tub or pit containing
clean water, and then put into clean weak solution of lime as
usually practised; and when the skins have remained in the lime
liquor sufficiently long for all the impurities to work off well on
.

page_text: the grain and flesh side of the skin they should then be put into a
pit or vessel containing clean water, and left therein for the space
of from twelve to twenty-four hours, after which tho skins should
be worked loosely in a tub either by the hands of the workman or
by stirring them with a pole or stick, and said tub should contain
a solution of muriatic or sulphuric acid or any other suitable acid
diluted to a strength sufficient to neutralize the lime in the skin.
The skins should then be taken out and left to drain for about from
two to three hours, and afterwards trodden or pounded in warm
water in any convenient manner until the skins become soft, when
they should be taken out and well drained; they should then be
trodden in a weak solution of common salt rock, or bay salt, 'salt-
petre, salt prunella, or nitrato of soda in the proportion of
one part of either of the above-named ingredients to twenty
parts of water for the space of about an hour, observing that it is
only necessary to have a small quantity of the solution during the
operation of "treadding;" after which the skins should be taken
out to drain, and then put into a sufficient quantity of clean water
to soak the saline and other objectionable matters out of the skins.
The skins should then be left in the water a sufficient length of time
to enable them to be struck over on the grain 'side, which may
be effected by the use of an iron knife called a striker in the
manner commonly practised, or they may be trodden in a small
quantity of flour or scalded bran, and the skins should remain in it
from six to twelve hours, and then be worked over on the grain by
the striker; and having undergone all these several processes the
skins are then in a fit state to undergo the subsequent process for
converting them into leather, which may be effected by the use of
astringent substances in the manner usually practised by leather
dressers in the dressing of leather.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS FOR CLEANING WOOL.
And as regards the second part of our said Invention which has
reference to a new process of cleaning the wool after it has been
taken from the skins by the means herein-before particularly de-
scribed, it consists, first, in well washing the wool in the manner

page_text: usually practised, and then after it is thoroughly washed and the
water drained therefrom, working it up in a tub or vessel containing
a solution of sulphuric or other acid just strong enough to neutralize
any alkaline or limey matter contained in the wool; and we have
found this object attained when the solution has been composed of
a mixture of one part of sulphuric or other acid to two hundred
parts of water.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be and may be performed, we claim
as of that part of our said Invention which has reference to the
dressing lamb-skin leather the effecting of that object in the
manner and by the means herein-before particularly described and
set forth as constituting a new and improved method of dressing
lamb-skin leather. And as regards that part of our said Invention
which has reference to the cleaning of wool, we claim the effecting
of that object in the manner and by the means herein-before
particularly described and set forth as constituting a new and
improved method of cleaning wool by neutralizing the alkaline or
liney matter contained therein.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Ryall Corry and
James Barrett Corry, have hereunto set our hands and seals,
this Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
JOHN RYALL CORRY.
JAMES BARRETT CORRY.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)
JOSEPH GARE,
30, Jewin St., London.
Agents for J. R. & J. B. Corry,
ALEX. PRINCE & Co.,
Trafalgar Sovere