DK177582B1

DK177582B1 - Pelt board

Info

Publication number: DK177582B1
Application number: DKPA201270519A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Kurt Pedersen
Original assignee: 4M Globe Man Ltd
Priority date: 2012-08-30
Filing date: 2012-08-30
Publication date: 2013-10-28

Abstract

A pelt board (11, 12) is disclosed for stretching and drying of tubular pelts (5), the pelt board having a tip end (4) from which the pelt is drawn onto the pelt board and a foot end (2), wherein the pelt board has a lower part (8) nearest the foot end where the outer cross-sectional circumferenee of the pelt board is substantially constant and an upper part (9) between the lower part and the tip end, where the outer crosssectional circumference of the upper part gradually decreases towards the tip end, wherein the longitudinal extent of the lower part is in the range of 50 to 100 cm, more preferably in the range of 65 to 90 cm. An inner bag (13) for the pelt board is also disclosed, made from a fat-absorbing material for being arranged on a pelt board (11, 12) between said pelt board and a tubular pelt (5).

Description

DK 177582 B1 i

Pelt board

The present invention relates to a pelt board for stretching and drying of tubular pelts from fur animals, in particular from mink. It furthermore relates to the use of the pelt 5 board.

Background

Frames on which pelts can be stretched and dried after pelting of the fur animals are well known in the art, ranging from a simple flat and solid wooden slat to more 10 sophisticated pelt boards (or pelting boards) in wood or plastic material.

The overall shape of the known pelt boards are generally of a tapering or conical shape, pelt boards for male animal pelts are often provided with a short part of a constant cross-sectional circumference at the foot end of the pelt board where the tail 15 end of the pelt is supposed to be arranged.

US 3,313,038 discloses a pelt drying frame in plastic or non-absorbent material and wood which as an open internal structure that allows for drying air to be supplied to the cavity defined by the frame and the tubular pelt in order to enhance the drying of 20 the pelt. The frame also contains an arrangement for stretching of the tubular pelt in the longitudinal direction thereof.

Another pelting board is disclosed in WO 82/03634, which is manufactured in a nonabsorbent plastic and comprises a lattice of girders between the edges of the pelting 25 board for improving the airflow of drying air inside the pelting board.

A further example of a pelt board is disclosed in WO 2008/022644.

A problem for the aforementioned types of pelt boards is that the tubular pelt shrinks 30 during the drying process and will exert a squeezing force on the pelt board. Thus, DK 177582 B1 2 the dried pelt may be difficult to remove from the pelt board and in a few case it is necessary to cut the pelt open to be able to remove it from the pelt board.

An alternative arrangement for drying of tubular pelts is disclosed in US 3,137,963 5 and in US 3,271981 comprises a frame with two legs that are pivotally connected at one end, which is inserted into the tubular pelt to be dried, and a lever at the opposite end which is used to force the two legs from each other and ensure that the pelt is taut on the frame when drying. When the pelt is sufficiently dry, the lever is turned and the legs are allowed to pivot and collapse the frame for easy removal of the dried 10 pelt. The pelt is during the drying only supported by the two legs for promoting the circulation of air on the inside of the pelt. However, it is today preferred to dry the pelts on an actual pelt board that support the inner surface of the tubular pelt during the drying process.

15 In order to facilitate a more efficient removal of the dried pelt from the pelt board, the pelt board disclosed in WO 2005/026394 was provided, comprising two half parts that are forced from each other and locked in a position, where the circumference is larger and slot-shaped openings are formed between the edges of the half parts and where the pelt is drawn upon the pelt board for drying thereof, and 20 the pelt board may when the pelt is dried be shifted to a second position where the edges of the two half parts abut and the circumference consequently is smaller and the pelt may be removed more easily.

The overall size of animal pelts, in particular of mink pelts, is increasing due to 25 selective breeding of the animals in order to obtain larger pelts and it is an object of the present invention to provide a pelt board for accommodating this development.

Brief description of the present invention

The present invention relates to a pelt board for stretching and drying of tubular 30 pelts, the pelt board having a tip end from which the pelt is drawn onto the pelt board and a foot end, wherein the pelt board has a lower part nearest the foot end where the 3 DK 177582 B1 outer cross-sectional circumference of the pelt board is substantially constant and an upper part between the lower part and the tip end, where the outer cross-sectional circumference of the upper part gradually decreases towards the tip end. The present inventive solution to the problem of the increasing size of pelts is to increase the 5 longitudinal extent of the lower part of the pelt board instead of increasing the longitudinal extent of the conical part. Thereby it is achieved that the overall length of the pelt board may be preserved while the skin area of the stretched and dried pelt is increased by an increased width of the pelt board to compensate for the increased size of the animals and hence the pelts. It has surprisingly been found that the pelts 10 before stretching and drying are sufficiently flexible for the surplus length of the pelts to be converted into an increased width of the pelt by means of the pelt board according to the present invention. The advantage over an increased length of the pelt boards is that the current arrangements e.g. for drying of the pelts by blowing air into the pelt boards, arrangements for treating the fur of the pelts while arranged on 15 the pelt boards, e.g. by water brushing, and arrangements for handling of pelt boards, such as for removal of pelt boards from drying arrangements, for stretching and fastening of pelts on pelt boards and for removal of dried pelts from the pelt boards may be re-used with these novel pelt boards.

20 The known pelt boards for pelts of male mink are of an overall length of 120 cm, where the lower part of a substantially constant cross-sectional circumference has an extent of about 30 cm. The present pelt board is inventive in that the longitudinal extent of the lower part is in the range of 50 to 100 cm, more preferably in the range of 65 to 90 cm.

25

From a more general viewpoint not specifically directed to pelt boards for mink pelts, the present pelt board constitutes a longitudinal extent of the lower part in the range of 40% to 85% of the extent of the pelt board from the foot end to the tip end thereof, preferably in the range of 55% to 75%.

30 4 DK 177582 B1

The pelt board is preferably of a flattened cross-sectional shape, so that the longer dimension of the cross-sectional shape when the expansion means is in an expanded position is at least twice the shorter dimension thereof, such as between 2.5 and 3 times the shorter dimension of the cross-sectional shape over a majority of the 5 longitudinal extend of the pelt board, such as at least 75% of the longitudinal extend of the pelt board. The cross-sectional shape of the pelt board will normally be less flattened near the tip end.

The pelt board is preferably of a symmetrical configuration, i.e. that the board is 10 symmetrical around a first longitudinal plane extending through a centre line of the board and parallel to the broad elongated side surfaces. The pelt board may also be symmetrical around a second longitudinal plane extending through the centre line and being perpendicular to the first plane.

15 The curve along which the cross-sectional circumference is measured is the circumscribed curve around the cross-section of the pelt board and corresponds to the length of the pelt around the cross-section when the pelt is arranged on the pelt board for drying.

20 It is preferred that the outer cross-sectional circumference of the upper part of the pelt board gradually decreases at least 35% towards the tip end thereof, i.e. that the cross-sectional circumference of the upper part of the pelt board is reduced with at least 35% between the upper end of the lower part and the tip of the tip end of the pelt board. It is even preferred that the cross-sectional circumference is decreased in 25 the range of 35% to 85%, preferably in the range of 50% to 75%.

The extent of the pelt board from the foot end to the tip end thereof is within the range of 100 to 140 cm, preferably within the range of 110 to 130 cm, such as within the range of 115 to 125 cm.

30 5 DK 177582 B1

The outer cross-sectional circumference of the lower part of the pelt board is in the range of 200 mm to 300 mm, preferably in the range of 225 to 275 mm, such as about 250 mm which is suitable for most mink pelts.

5 Not only the outer cross-sectional circumference but also the cross-sectional shape of the pelt board is preferably substantially constant throughout the lower part of the pelt board.

The pelt board comprises in a preferred embodiment expansion means for selectively 10 shifting the pelt board between an expanded position and a non-expanded position in which the outer cross-sectional circumference of the pelt board is reduced as compared to the expanded position in order to ease the removal of the dried pelt from the pelt board by arranging and stretching the pelt with the expansion means in an expanded position and shifting to a non-expanded position just before removing the 15 dried pelt.

The cross-sectional shape of the pelt board is preferably substantially constant throughout the lower part of the pelt board when the expansion means are in the expanded position and also substantially constant when the expansion means are in 20 the non-expanded position.

The pelt board comprises in a preferred embodiment an element projecting from the foot end of the pelt board, the projecting element having an inlet for receiving a flow of air and an air conducting arrangement including openings in an outer surface of 25 the pelt board connected to said inlet for providing a flow of air to a pelt arranged on the pelt board.

The expansion means may in a preferred embodiment be operated by means of the projecting element.

30 DK 177582 B1 6

By the term operating is understood that the expansion means are applied to shift the pelt board between the expanded and the non-expanded position. The expansion means may be operated by pulling and/or pushing the projecting element in the longitudinal direction of the pelt board.

5 A tubular pelt board inner bag made from a fat-absorbing material is arranged on the inventive pelt board between said pelt board and a tubular pelt to be stretched and dried, the inner bag having a tip end from which the pelt is drawn onto the inner bag on the pelt board and a foot end, wherein the inner bag has a lower part nearest the 10 foot end where the cross-sectional circumference of the inner bag is substantially constant and an upper part between the lower part and the tip end, where the cross-sectional circumference of the inner bag gradually decreases towards the tip end. The longitudinal extent of the lower part is preferably in the range of 40 to 90 cm, more preferably in the range of 55 to 85 cm, which is suitable for the pelt board for mink 15 pelts. More generally, the longitudinal extent of the lower part of the inner bag constitutes preferably in the range of 60% to 95% of the extent of the inner bag from the foot end to the tip end thereof, more preferably in the range of 70% to 90%.

The longitudinal extent of the upper part of the inner bag is preferably in the range of 20 5 to 40 cm, preferably in the range of 10 to 35 cm such as in the range of 12 to 30 cm.

The inner bag is preferably made from a fat and moisture absorbing paper material.

25 The outer cross-sectional circumference of the upper part of the inner bag gradually decreases at least 15% towards the tip end thereof, such as in the range of 15% to 75%, preferably in the range of 20% to 60%.

The extent of the inner bag from the foot end to the tip end thereof is preferably 30 within the range of 60 to 120 cm, more preferably within the range of 75 to 110 cm.

DK 177582 B1 7

5 The present invention furthermore relates to the use of a pelt board according to the invention as described herein for the stretching and drying of tubular mink pelts, and in particular with an inner bag according to the present invention as described herein provided between the pelt board and the mink pelt.

10 The lower part of the inner bag is preferably from 5 to 20 cm shorter than the extent of the lower part of the pelt board. The upper part of the inner bag may according to the present invention cover the whole tip end of the pelt board including the tip itself, however the extent of the upper part of the inner bag is preferably from 5 to 30 cm shorter than the extent of the upper part of the pelt board.

15

Brief description of the drawing

The accompanying drawing shows an example of the prior art as well as preferred embodiments of the present invention. The figures of the drawing are as follows: 20 Fig. 1 is a front view of a pelt board according to the Prior Art,

Fig. 2 shows a pelt board according to a first embodiment of the present invention,

Fig. 3 shows a pelt board according to a second embodiment of the present invention, 25 Fig. 4 shows a pelt board according to Fig. 3 with an inner bag according to the present invention arranged thereon, and

Fig. 5 shows the pelt board and inner bag of Fig. 4 with a pelt arranged thereon. Detailed description of embodiments 30 The prior art pelt board 1 shown in Fig. 1 has a foot end 2 from which the projecting element 3 extends and a more narrow tip end 4. The pelt 5 is drawn on the pelt board 8 DK 177582 B1 from the tip end 4, so that the part of the pelt 5 that used to cover the fur animal’s cranium 6 rests on the tip end 4 while the tail 7 of the pelt 5 will be situated near the foot end 2 as shown in Fig. 5. The pelt board 1 comprises a lower, straight part 8 with a substantially constant cross-sectional circumference and a constant width Wi 5 extending from the foot end 2 of the pelt board 1 adjacent to an upper part 9 of the pelt board 1 having a tapering shape where the cross-sectional circumference of the pelt board 1 is gradually reduced from the width Wl of the lower part 8 to the width W2 at the tip end 4 of the pelt board 1. The tapering of the upper part 9 of the pelt board 1 can be linear in the sense that the width W of the upper part 9 varies linearly 10 whereas the thickness remains substantially constant or the cross-sectional circumference of the upper part 9 of the pelt board 1 can decrease linearly with the distance to the lower part 8 of the pelt board 1. Alternatively, the tapering may be non-linear, so that the decrease in width W or in cross-sectional circumference e.g. is less steep near the lower part 8 of the pelt board and increases nearer the tip end 4 of 15 the pelt board. The tip end 4 of the pelt board ends in a tip 10, which normally is of a rounded shape and the width W2 of the tip end 4 is determined at a longitudinal position of the upper part 9 just before such rounding of the tip end 4 of the pelt board 1 occurs. These definitions of lower and upper parts 8, 9, width Wl, W2, W and gradually reduction or tapering of the upper part 9 are used in this document for 20 all embodiments of a pelt board.

The prior art pelt board 1 shown in Fig. 1 is intended for being used for stretching and drying of male mink pelts and has a standard length of 120 cm from the foot end 2 to the tip end 4, i.e. that sum of the length LI of the lower part 8 and the length L2 25 of the upper part 9 is 120 cm. The length LI of the lower part is about 30 cm whereas the length of the upper, tapering part 9 is about 90 cm. The width Wl of the lower part 8 of the pelt board 1 is 111 mm and the width W2 of the tip end 4 is 32 mm, and the decrease of the width and thus approximately also of the outer cross-sectional circumference of the upper part of the pelt is of about 70%.

30 DK 177582 B1 9

In the first example of a pelt board 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Fig. 2 the longitudinal extend LI of the lower part 8 and L2 of the upper part 9 of the pelt board 11 are substantially equal. For a pelt board 11 suitable for stretching and drying of mink pelts, the lengths are LI = L2 = 60 cm so 5 that the full length of the pelt board is 120 cm. With the elongation of the lower part 8 of the pelt board 11 as compared to the prior art of Fig. 1, the overall surface area of the pelt board 11 is increased with about 10% and pelt board 11 will thus be able to accommodate a pelt that is about 12% larger in area than the prior art pelt board 1 of Fig. 1.

10

In the second example of a pelt board 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Fig. 3 the longitudinal extend LI of the lower part 8 is about two thirds of the total length LI + L2 of the pelt board 12 from the foot end 2 to the tip end 4 thereof and the longitudinal extend L2 of the upper part 9 of the pelt board 15 12 constitutes one third. For a pelt board 12 suitable for stretching and drying of mink pelts, the lengths are LI = 80 cm and L2 = 40 cm so that the full length of the pelt board is 120 cm. With the elongation of the lower part 8 of the pelt board 12 as compared to the prior art of Fig. 1, the overall surface area of the pelt board 12 is increased with about 16% and pelt board 12 will thus be able to accommodate a pelt 20 that is about 18% larger in area than the prior art pelt board 1 of Fig. 1.

The expected increase of the area of the pelt 5 that can be accommodated on the pelt board 11,12 depends on the extent of the lower part 8 of the pelt board 11,12 that is not covered by the pelt 5 stretched on the pelt board 11, 12. This extent is for the 25 estimation of the increase of the area of the pelt 5 taken to be about 10 cm but will naturally vary with the actual size of the individual pelt 5.

It is generally known in the art to arrange a tubular inner bag 13 made from a fat- and moisture-absorbing material such as paper on the pelt board 1 prior to arranging and 30 stretching the pelt 5 on the pelt board for the purpose of absorbing remaining fat from the skin side of the pelt 5 in order to avoid the fat to stain the fur side of the pelt DK 177582 B1 10 5 during or after drying thereof and possibly also to absorb moisture from the skin side of the pelt 5 and give it off to the drying air on the inside of the inner bag 13.

The known pelt boards are of a conical shape which fits to the tapering shape of the pelt board 1 without regard to the lower part of the pelt boards 1 for male mink pelts 5 with a substantially constant outer cross-sectional circumference. Such inner bags are simple to produce from a piece of paper that is cut into shape, folded and glued along a longitudinal line.

For the pelt boards according to the present invention where the lower part 8 of the 10 pelt board 11,12 has a substantially longer extent in the longitudinal direction than the traditional pelt board 1 which means that a much longer section of the lower part 8 will be covered by the pelt 5 when arranged thereon and consequently by the inner bag 13. A traditionally manufactured conical inner bag would not fit the lower part 8 of the pelt board 11,12 and be much too wide at the foot end of the inner bag which 15 would results in longitudinal folds of the inner bag that could be harmful to the finish of the dried pelt 5.

Consequently, a new tubular inner bag 13 for being arranged between the pelt board 11,12 according to the present invention and a pelt 5 has been provided as a part of 20 the present invention as shown in an example in Figs. 4 and 5 manufactured for and arranged on a pelt board 12 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The tubular inner bag 13 comprises a lower part 14 nearest the foot end 15 of the inner bag 13 where the cross-sectional circumference of the inner bag 13 is substantially constant, in addition to an upper part 16 between the lower part 14 and 25 the tip end 17 of the inner bag, where the cross-sectional circumference of the inner bag 13 gradually decreases towards the tip end 17.

When arranged on the pelt board 12 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it can be seen that the preferred inner bag 13 has a length L4 of the lower part 14 that is shorter that the 30 length LI of the lower part 8 of the pelt board 12, leaving a length L3 of the lower part 8 of the pelt board 12 of e.g. 8 to 14 cm uncovered by the inner bag 13.

DK 177582 B1 11

Likewise, the shown inner bag 13 has a length L5 of the upper part 16 of the inner bag 13 that is shorter than the length L2 of the upper part 9 of the pelt board 12, leaving a length L6 of the upper part 9 uncovered by the inner bag 13, where the length L6 e.g. is in the order of 13 to 24 cm.

5

In Fig. 5 the pelt board 12 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is depicted with the inner bag 13 arranged between the pelt board 12 and a pelt 5, which is stretched on the pelt board 12 and fastened by means of a strip 18 of a plastic tape that is wound around the pelt 5 to temporarily fixing the pelt as 10 described in EP 1 723 262. However, the pelt could be fixed by other known means, such as a fixing bag drawn over the pelt arranged on the pelt board or by means of staples that are shot through the part of the pelt 5 near the foot end 2 of the pelt board 12 into a wooden part of the pelt board 12.

15

List of reference numerals 1 Pelt board according to prior art 2 Foot end of pelt board 20 3 Projecting element 4 Tip end of pelt board 5 Pelt 6 Part of the pelt that used to cover the fur animal’s cranium 7 Tail of the pelt 25 8 Lower part of pelt board 9 Upper tapering part of pelt board 10 Tip of pelt board 11 Pelt board according to a first embodiment 12 Pelt board according to a second embodiment 30 13 Tubular inner bag 14 Lower part of inner bag 15 Foot end of inner bag DK 177582 B1 12 16 Upper part of inner bag 17 Tip end of inner bag 18 Strip of plastic material 5 LI Longitudinal extent of lower part of pelt board L2 Longitudinal extent of upper part of pelt board L3 Length from foot end of inner bag to foot end of pelt board L4 Longitudinal extent of lower part of inner bag L5 Longitudinal extent of upper part of inner bag 10 L6 Length from tip end of inner bag to tip end of pelt board W1 Width of lower part of the pelt board W2 Width of the tip end of the pelt board W Width of the upper tapering part of the pelt board

Claims

A tan (11, 12) for stretching and drying tubular animal skins (5), which tan has a pointed end (4), the ffa of which the animal skin is pulled on the tan, and a foot (2), the tan having a lower part ( 8) closest to the foot end, where the outer cross-sectional circumference of the tan is substantially constant, and an upper portion (9) between the lower portion and the tip end, the upper portion's outer cross-sectional circumference gradually decreasing toward the tip end, where the longitudinal extension of the lower portion is range 50 to 100 cm, especially in the range 65 to 90 cm.

The tane according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional circumference of the tane's upper part is gradually reduced by at least 35% towards the tip end thereof. 15

A tan according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the tan extension from the foot end to the tip end thereof is in the range 100 to 140 cm, preferably in the range 110 to 130 cm, such as in the range 115 to 125 cm.

A web according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer cross-sectional circumference of the lower portion of the web is in the range of 200 mm to 300 mm.

A tan according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising expansion means for selectively displacing the tan between an extended position and a non-expanded position in which the outer cross-sectional circumference of the tan is reduced compared to the extended position.

A tan according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an element (3) projecting from the foot end of the tan, the projecting element having an entrance for receiving an air flow and an air-conducting arrangement with openings in a Outside surface of the tan which is connected to the entrance to provide an air flow to an animal skin arranged on the tan.

The tane according to claims 5 and 6, wherein the expanding means can be operated by the protruding element.

Use of a tan according to any one of claims 1-7 for stretching and drying tubular mink skins.

The use according to claim 8, wherein a tubular inner bag (13) made of a fat-absorbing material and to be arranged on a teat (11, 12) between the tan and a tubular animal skin (5) to be stretched and dried , which inner bag has a pointed end (17) from which the animal skin is pulled on the inner bag of the tan, and a footing (15), the inner bag having a lower part (14) closest to the foot end, the cross-sectional circumference of the inner bag being substantially constant, and an upper portion (16) between the lower portion and the tip end, where the cross-sectional circumference of the inner bag gradually decreases toward the tip end, is provided between the tan and the mink skin.

Use according to claim 9, wherein the extension of the lower portion of the inner bag is 20 from 5 to 20 cm shorter (L3) than the extension of the lower portion of the tan.

Use according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the extension of the upper portion of the inner bag is from 5 to 30 cm shorter (L6) than the extension of the upper portion of the tan.