US1895512A - Graining machine - Google Patents

Description

Y Jan. 31, 1933. A. F. JONES GRAINING MACHNE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ruled April 3. 1926 [22 venia? w;

Jan. 3l, 1933. A. F. JoNEs 1,895,512

GRAINING MACHINE Filed April 5. 192e s sheets-sheet 2 Sec sa Inzfenof Jan. 31, i933. A F, JONES 1,895,512.

GRAINING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 100 4 a 90 8 8 8O 2Q/y l 1 0 mwvm/VWAVA'AM I la l Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC ALBERT F. JONES, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TUR-NER TANNING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE GRAINING Application filed April 3,

This invention relates to machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather and is illustrated as embodied in a machine for softening and boarding or graining skins or other relatively thin or light pieces of leather, although in various respects the invention is not restricted to embodiment in a machine of the illustrated type or to use in performing the particular operations just referred to.

lu machines as heretofore constructed for the purpose of boarding or graining pieces of leather considerable difficulty has always been experienced in maintaining the machine parts in such relation to each other and to the. ivor r that the folded portion of the Work is properly positioned With respect to the boarding instrumentalities. ln one Well l-:noivn com nercial machine this difficulty is due, in part at least, to an uneven Wearing array of the edge of a thin met-al Work-presenting member in such a Way as to make uniform presentation of the Work diliicult, if not impossible, with the result that the quality of Work performed is not infrequently belou7 the desired standard. In another type of boarding machine there is provided a single Work-presenting or Work-supporting member for cooperation With a rotary boarding member. one of the members having a recipro-catory movement one stroke of which is idle. The operator must not lonly Wait for the. completion of the operation in a given cycle of the machine but he must also remove the piece of Work just operated upon before introducing a fresh piece of Work. FurtherV more, maciines of this type are difficult to operate in such a Way as to secure uniformity and maintain the desired quality of Work since there is provided no means for determining the relationship of the boarding members with respect to each other and to the Work at the initiation of a. graining or boarding operation nor is there means invariably eective for preventing displacement of the Work.

in vievv of the foregoing' it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved machine for softening and graining orboarding leather Which will be simple in construction, especially effective in producing Work of MACHINE 1926. Serial No. 99,549.

uniformly high quality, and capable of a substantially increased output When compared with previous machines.

To this end and in accordance with important features of the invention there is provided for co-operation with a boarding member a work support having an inclined surface portion of substantial construction for col-operation With the boarding member in forming a fold in each successive piece of Worlr on the Work support thus initiating boarding operations on the pieces of Work, the boarding operation being completed through co-operation of the boarding member and a plane surface portion on the Work support. yhus, there is employed no thin-edged Work presenting member to Wear away irregularly and to become inefficient as in certain prior constructions. For insuring against displacement of the Work with respect to .the boarding member and wor-lr support and for securing uniformity in the positioning of the folded portion of the Work in respect to the boarding member there is provided in the illustrated machine as a part of the Work support a clamping member operative temporarily to secure the Work to the Work support. In the preferred arrangement means is provided for operating the clamping member to cause closing and opening thereof to clamp and to release each piece of Work at the proper time Without effort or attention on the part of the operator. Conveniently, the inclined surface provided for initiating the boarding operation in co-operation With the boarding member is located on the clamping member Which, in closed position, becomes part of the Work support.

For facilitating presentation of the Work in graining or boarding operations there is provided a plurality of Work supportingV members moving in succession to boarding position and presenting new Work as fast as each preceding piece is boarded. Conveniently, the arrangement of Work supporting members is such that they move continuously Without interruption to Work receiving position Where a slrilled operator has just time suflicient to position a piece of Work on each supporting member'in turn before it moves on to boarding or graining position. In the illustrated machine, the work supporting members are carried by an endless belt or conveyor and the clampfng member associated with each work supporting member is operative automatically during the travel of the work supporting member to close upon the work temporarily to secure the work to the work support and subsequently to release the work on the supporting` member.

These and other features of the invention and novel combinations of parts will be now described in detail and pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

ln the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a. machine illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive are detail views of the work support illustrating successive steps in the positioning of the work on the support while the work support is reversing its position;

Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views of the work support in connection with a rotary member illustrating the operation of boarding or graining leather;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIII-V111 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

9 is a bottom plan view of the work support and clamp on line X-IX of Fig. 8;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are detail views illustrating the opening of the clamp to release the work from the work support; and

Figs. 13 to 17 inclusive are detail views illustrating the closing of the clamp to secure the work temporarily to the work support.

In the illustrated machine there is provided a plurality of work supports or work supporting tables 2O of identical construction pivotally secured to a pair of endless chain members 22, (Fig. 8) each composed of relatively long links 2li, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The chains 22 are mounted at each end upon sprocket wheels, one pair of which is shown in Fig. 1 at 26, carried by shafts 28 and 30, the shaft 30 being mounted in boxes 82 carried slidably by the frame of the machine so that they may be adjusted by means of a threaded member 3l to secure proper tension of the chains 22. Each work support 2O is provided with brackets 36 (Figs. 8 and 9) secured to its under surface by which the support may be pivotally connected to links of the chains 22 at the pivotal points connecting the links. At the point of connection between the links 2e and the brackets 36 the links are provided with rollers l() which are adapted to contact with guideway brackets Ll2 provided on inwardly projecting flanges il and l5 of the side frames of the machine. 1t will be understoodV that the brackets 42 serve as guideways for both the upper and lower runs of the chains and also as supports for the work supports 20 particularly when the work supports are operating to present the work to the work operating member, as will be hereinafter described.

For co-operating with each work support 20 in succession in graining or boarding operations upon aV piece of leather on the work support, there is provided in the illustrated machine a rotary boarding member 50 mounted upon a shaft 52 carried by a pair of lever arms, on-e of which is shown at 54 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This lever arm 54- is pivotally mounted at 56 in an upwardly extending portion 58 of the side frame of the machine. Carried by an extension 60 of the lever 54 is ar weight 62 which may be adjustably secured in any desired position along the length of the extension 60 so as to counterbalance to a greater or less extent the boarding member 50 on the opposite side of the pivotal mounting 56 and thus become effective to vary the pressure exerted by the boarding member 50 upon work supported on any work support 20. For limiting downward movement of the boarding member 50 toward the table 20, there is provided at the rear end of the lever 54 a. set screw @l by which the boarding member 50 may be adjusted in accordance with various characteristics of the work such, for instance, as density and thickness. The cylindrical surface of the boarding member 50 is covered ith cork composition to provide a uniform frictional surface which will engage the leather to be grained frictionally without injury to the latter.

Means is provided for rotating the boarding member 50 in a direction reverse to that of the movement of the work support past the boarding member, the means for rotating the member being also operative to produce a peripheral speed which is exactly equal to the rate of movement of the work past the boarding member. For this purpose the shaft 52 of the boarding` member 50 carries a sprocket wheel (Fig. 1) about which passes a sprocket chain 72, the other end of which passes around a sprocket 7 4l on the shaft 28, the purpose of the sprockets and chain 72 being to insure that there will be no slippage between the boarding roller 50 and th shaft 28, from which the chains 22 of the work supports 2O are driven. Power is supplied to the shaft 28 by means of a train of gears leading from the shaft 7 6, to which is secured the power pulley 78.

Since the work supports 20 are identical in construction a description of one will suffice for all. Upon reference to Figs. 2 to 9 inclusive of the drawings, it will be observed that a work support 2O comprises a body member or table 80 and a clamping member 82 each provided at their work clamp surfaces with a piece 84 of felt, although other firmly yielding material may obviously be found equally effective. The purpose of these felt members or pieces 811 is to engage lirmly but yieldingly with a piece of leather whereby pieces of leather of various thicknesses are firmly clamped against the table 80 and held against displacement but without injury while the leather is undergoing a` graining operation. As shown, the clamp 82 is provided with an inclined surface 86 which is conveXly curved so that the boardingl member 50 engages with the piece of work on this convex surface without injury to the Work and in such a way as to move it over the surface into overlapping relation to another part of the same pi-ece of leather', as indicated by the showing in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. r1`his inclined surface is so proportioned as to insure initial engagement of the member 50 with the work always at a predetermined line in advance of the plane 8T which passes vertically through the table and through the axis 52. ln thisway the travelling fold 69 in the work is always in advance of the line of greatest pressure on the work whereby suflicient frictional engagement of the member 50 with tie work is secured to insure proper travel of the fold. For mounting t ie clamp member 82 on the table 60 there is provided in the construction shown a pair of arms 8S (Figs. 9 to 1T inclusive) secured to the clamp member 80 by means of screws, the arms SS being slidable in guideways provided by metal plates 90 (Fig. 9) secured to the body of the table S0. Fivoted t0 one end of each arm 88, as at 92, is a link 94 in turn pivoted to a link 96 pivctally mounted at 98 upon the edge of the table 80. Connected to the pivot pin 92 is a spring 100 which at its other end is connected to a pin 102 rigid with the table S0 or with the guide member 90 carried by the table. that each arm 8S is connected by links 94 and 96 and by a spring 100 to the table 60 and that the description of the connections for one arm 86 applies equally to the other arm 8S. Carried by each link 94 adjacent to its pivot connection with the link 96 is a stud 10i provided with a roller 106, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. Referring to Figs. 9 and 12 of the drawings it will be observed that in both figures the clamp member 82 is in open position with respect to the table 80 and thatin these figures the links 94 and 96 constituting a toggle are substantially in line with each other and with the arms 88. 1f the link 96 be turned on its pivot 98 until it is in reversed position, by lifting upwardly on the roller 106 and moving it about the pivot 98 of the link 96 until the link 96 has been moved slightly beyond center into contact with a stop 106, then the clamping member 82 has 1t will be understood.

been moved to closed or clai'nping position. The arrangement is then such that the clamp 82 is in firm contact with the adjacent felt covered end of the table 80. ln this position of theclamping member 82 10) the spring 100 is extended and is under tension and operates to hold the clamping member in position since the link 96, as already stated, has moved beyond center and is in contact with the stop 108. Figure 1 shows the beginning of the movement by which the clamping member 82 is released for movement to open position. At the rear end of the machine there is provided at each side of the frame thereof a cam member 110 (Figs. 1 and 10) having an inclined cam surface 112 upon which the roller 106 slides whereby the roller is forced gradually upwardly, as indicated in F 11 until the tension of the spring 100 suddenly snaps the link 96 over to the about its pivot point 96. Thus, the clamping' member 62 is moved to open position and the work may be readily removed from the table 60 at this discharge station at the rear end of the machine.

Buring continued movement of the chains 22 and of the tables 20 the latter are successively carried along the under side of the low-er flanges 45 so that the tables 60 and clamping members S2 in turn project from the front end of the machine in the position indicated in Fig. 13 of the drawings. When a table and clamping` member reach this position the operator drapes a piece of leather over the clamping member 62, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. 11e then waits until the clamping member 82 is closed against the table 80. The means for causing this closing of the clamping member comprises the following parts in the illustrated machine. lteferring to Figs. 16 to 17 inclusive, it will be obse 1ved that there is provided on each side of the frame of the machine a cam plate one of which is shown at 116 projecting downwardly from above the lower flanges l5 to present inclined cam faces 118 for engagement with the rollers 106 on each side of the table 80. Secured the frame of the machine below each cam member 116 is a cam member 120 having a stop surface 122 for engagement with one of the rollers 106 to effect a reversing movement of the link 96. Upon inspection of Fig. 16, it will be observed that the link member 96 is in alinement with the arm S6 of the clamp 62 antL on the same side of its pivot point 98. As the chains 22 and work support 20 continue to move toward the right in Fig. 13 the roller 106 rides downwardly along the cam surface 118, thus drawing inwardly the arms 86 of the clamping member 82. See also Fig. le. Finally the roller 106 rides off the point of the cam member 116 and is engaged by the stop surface 122 on the member 120, as indicated in Fig. 15 of the drawings. Continuance of the movement of the chains 22 and work support 20 results in turning the link 96 about its pivot 98 through a little over 180, thus pulling the arms 88 toward the lett and bringing the clamping member 82 into firm contact with the ielt covered end of the table 80. As before stated, the link 96 swings a little beyond its position of alinenient with the arm 88 into Contact with a stop 108 on the table 8O so that it may be held by the spring in stable position. It will be observed that the clamp member 82 is thus moved by an unyielding toggle means into clamping relation with respect to the table 80. It is for this reason that the adjacent surfaces of the clamping member 82 and ot the table 8O are provided with the strips ot felt 841-, that is, so that the leather may be yieldingly engaged to prevent injury thereon This closing of the clamping member 82 talres place just as the worlr support 2O is coming around the iront end of the machine, as indicated in Fig. 17 and in Fig. 3. As soon as the clamping has taken place t e operator throws the portion i (Fig. 2) of the piece of leather over in extended relation on the upper surface oi"- the table 8O (Fig. 8) and then immediately follows this by Jolding the p0rtion B around the clamp member 82 and throwing it on top of the portion A el). is the chains 22 continue in motion the worl: support 2O gradually turns over as indicated in Figs. l and 5 in which position of the work suppe t the parts A and l5 ci' the w rk are hanging down on each side of the clamping member 82 (Fig. This is the initial position of the work when the work support reaches the boarding member 50 (Fig. 6). ln other words, the surface 86 ot the member 82 is a work supportin surface upon which the work is initially positioned. v

rl`he graining operation will be readily understood upon reference to G and of the drawings, Fig. 5 showing tl e beginning oi the operation e r 'f boarding member 50 iL upon the convex sur k member 82. Since the surface oi the clam iing` member is polished and smooth, and

surface ci the boarding memher 50 is a triction surface provided by cork or other like sub nre. fil be readily understood that the ther ely i l along the itl' SL i al@ rolde( in tl iiv port, `he premi the resull` of produc'.

the grain surface which is on the nside oi" the fold; Since the boardi member 50 is rotating in a counterclocf. yise direction the same speed as the work support 20, moving i g effect upon to the left in Fig. 7, the travelling told 89 in the leather occupies always the same relative position with respect to the plane 87 which passes through the axis 52 of the boarding member 50 and perpendicularly to the surface ot the work support 20. lvlhile the graining operation is initiated through cooperation of the members 5() and 82, it is completed by co-operation ot' members 50 and 80, as will be evident from an inspection of F ig. 7. `When approximately one-halt of the piece of leather has thus been operated upon, it is removed :trom the machine by an assistant. upon the opening of the clamping membei' 82 at the discharge position at the back et' he macnine, and subsequently reintroduced into the machine with the other part positioned over the clamping member 82 so that this second portion receives the graining on the second passage of the worlr through the machine. lt it is desired, tor instance, to perform a boxing operation upon the leather to produce what is known as boi; calf, the leather is sent through the machine after the graini ig operation with the leather folded over the clamping member 82 in such manner that he lines ot' the graiiiing extend subs-an ally at a right angle to the length of il o clamping member 82. rl`his second grainthereifore, produces a grain along lines t rie'lit angles to the first graining and the result termed a boxing of the grain surface of the leather.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat-ent of thc United States is l. A machine for boarding leather having, in combination, a support for a piece of leather comprising members relatively movable to clamp and hold a piece of leather on the support, said support having a plane sur- :tace for supporting a piece of leather, and a boarding member, the support and the boarding member being relatively movable with respect to each other and said support having a surface upon which the piece of leather is initially positioned, the last-mentioned surface being inclined to the plane surface oi the wor; support and being constructed and arranged to co-operate with the boarding member in engaging directly opposite portions of the piece of leather to initiate a boarding operation, and the said plane surface being constructed and arranged to back the work against the thrust ot the boarding member during relative movement between the support and the boarding member for completing the boarding operation.

2. A machine for boarding leather having, in combination, a support for a piece of leather comprising members relatively movable to clamp and hold the leather on the support, a boarding member, and means for efecting relative movement between the boarding member and the support, the support having a plane surface and a surface inclined to the plane surface, the inclined `surface being arranged to back a piece of leather against the thrust of the boarding member to initiate a boarding operation, the plane surface being also arranged to co-operate directly with the boarding member to complete the boarding operation.

3. In a machine for boarding leather, a support for a piece of leather having means for clamping a piece of leather on the support thereby preventing displacement thereof on the support., a member movable upon an axis and having a frictional boarding surface for co-operation with the support to move one portion of a piece of leather relatively to another portion of the same piece of leather to board the leather during relative movement between the member and the support, means for moving the support in a direction the reverse of the movement of the boarding surface of said movable boarding member and at a speed equal to that of the boarding surface to effect boarding of the piece of leather, and means for operating the clamping means in timed relation to the movement of the support.

et. In a machine for boarding leather, a boarding member, and a support for a piece of leather comprising two members movable relatively to each other to clamp the piece of leather to the support, said support having a relatively extensive work-supporting surface and a relatively restricted surface inclined to the first-mentioned surface and located adjacent to the line of clamping of the leather to the support, the inclined surface and the boarding member being arranged to engage movably with directly opposite surfaces of a piece of leather and relatively movable to initiate a folding of the piece of leather adjacent to the line of clamp, whereby the traveling fold in the leather begins always at substantially the same place on the work support.

5. In a machine for boarding leather, a boar-dine' member, a support for a piece of leather comprising two members movable relatively to each other to clamp the leather to the support, said support having a plane surface, and also a surface inclined to the plane surface and located in advance of the line of clamp of the material to the support, said boarding member being constructed and arranged to co-operate with the plane surface in boarding or graining operations and to press a pieceof leather directly .against the inclined surface, the boarding member and the inclined surface being relatively movable to cause shifting of the leather on the inclined surface to initiate a fold in the piece of leather at the line of clamp, and means for moving the support past the boarding member along a fined path whereby the boarding member and the support bear always the same predetermined relation to the fold in the leather in every boarding operation. i

6. In a machine for boarding leather, a boarding member, and a support having a plane surface for co-operat-ion with the boarding member and comprising two members movable relatively to each other to clamp a piece of leather securely in place, yone of said members having a surface inclined to the plane surface and arranged for co-operation with the boarding member in movably engaging directly opposite `surfaces of a piece of leather, the boarding member and the inclined surface being relatively movabley to cause shifting of the leather on the inclined surface to initiate a folding of the piece of leather on itself, the boarding member subsequently (zo-operating with the plane surface on the support for completing the boarding operation.

7. In a machine for boarding leather, a rotary boarding member, a support relatively movable with respect to the boarding member, said support having a plane surface for cooperation with the boarding member and comprising two members relatively movable with respect to eachother to clamp a piece of work to the support, one of said members having a surface inclined to the plane surface and located adjacent to the line of clamp of the piece of leather, said rotary boarding member being arranged to co-operate first with the inclined surface in movably engaging directly opposite surfaces of a piece of leather, the boarding member and the inclined surface being relatively movable to cause shifting of the leather on the inclined surface to initiate a folding of the leather, the boarding member subsequently operating to press the leather against said plane surface during relative movement between the rotary member and the plane surface to com* plete the boarding operation by causing the fold in the leather to travel across the surface of the support.

8. In a machine for boarding leather, arotary boarding member stationary in space, and a support movable past the boarding member during boarding operations and having a plane surface and 'a surface inclined to the plane surface, said work support comprising means for clamping a piece of leather to the support, and said rotary boarding member being arranged to press a portion of the leather directly against the inclined surface of the support to move a portion of the leather over the inclined surface and thus initiate folding of the piece of leather, said boarding member then co-operating with the plane surface of the support as the latter moves past to press the leather against the plane moving surface to cause the fold t0 travel along said plane surface to complete the boarding of the leather.

9, In a machine for boarding leather, a

support for a piece of leather, said support comprising a clamping member for holding the piece of leather on the support, a boarding member for co-operation with the support to cause a fold in the leather to travel along that portion of the leather resting on the support to board the leather during relative movement between the member and the support, means for moving both the boarding member 'and the support to cause their work contacting surfaces to move in opposite directions and at the same speed to effect a boarding operation, and means controlled by the moving support for operating the clamping member between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the support.

10. In a machine for boarding leather, a support for 'a piece of leather, said support comprising a clamping member for holding the piece of leather on the support, a rotary member for co-operation with the support to cause a fold in the leather to travel along that portion of the leather resting on the support to Vboard the leather during` relative movement between the member and the support, means for moving the support and causing operation 0f the rotary member so that the work contacting surfaces of the member and supportmove in opposite directions and at the same speed to eil-ect a boarding operation, and stationary cams controlled by the moving support for operating the clamping member between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the support.

11. In a machine for boarding leather, a support for a piece of leather, said support comprising a clamping member for temporarily securing a piece of leather to the support, means for moving the support and automatically operating the clamping member to secure the leather to the moving support and subsequently to release the leather, and a member having a uniform frictional surface, said surface being arranged to travel at the same speed as the support but in the reverse direction to board the leather supported thereon.

12. In a machine for boarding leather, a support for a piece of leather, said support comprising a clamping member for temporarily securing a piece of leather to the support, means for automatically operating the clamping member to secure the leather to the support in timed relation to the movement of the support and subsequently to release the leather, means for moving the support, and a member having a. frictional surface arranged to co-operate directly with work supporting surfaces of the clamping member and of the support during movement of the latter past the member to cause a fold in the leather to travel along that portion of the leather resting on the supportl to board the leather on the support.

13. In a machine for boarding leather, a support for a piece of leather', said support comprising a clamping member for temporarily securing the leather to the support, said clamping member having a surface for supporting a portion of the piece of leather, a member having a frictional surface for cooperation with work supporting surfaces of the clamping member and of the support to move a. fold in the leather along over the snpport for boarding the leather, means for causing movement of the frictional surface of the boarding member and simultaneously therewith movement of the work support and its associated clamping member in the opposite direction with respectto the boarding membe surface and at the same speed whereby boarding of the leather taires place, and means for operating the clamping member in timed relation to the movement of the work support.

14. In a machine for boarding leather, a support for a piece of leather comprising a clamping member slidably mounted on the support for movement in one direction tem porarilyto clamp apiece of leather thereto and slidable in the opposite direction for releasing the piece of leather, means for moving the support and the clamping member, a member for co-operation with the support during movement of the latter for causing boarding of the leather, and cam means rendered opera tive by the moving` work support for opening and for closing the clamping member alternately to clamp and release the leather.

l5. In a machine for boarding leather, a support for a piece of leather comprising a clamping member for temporarily securing the leather to the support, positively operated means comprising a toggle for closing the clamping member on the leather, means comprising a saring for moving the clamping member to releasing position, and a member having a frictional boarding surface arranged to co-operate with the work support during relative movement of the member and work support to cause boarding of the leather carried by the latter.

16. In a machine for boarding leather, a support for a piece of leather comprising al clamping member for temporarily securing the leather to the support, means comprising a toggle for moving the clamping member to clamping position, and a member having a frictional surface arranged to (3o-operate with the work support during relative movement of the member and work support to cause boarding of the leather carried by the support.

l?. In a machine for boarding leather, a plurality of supports, each adapted to support a piece of leather, a member having a uniform frictional surface for contacting with a piece of Work and arranged for cooperation with the supports in succession for boarding the leather, means for moving the CTI supports past said member, means for supporting and guiding the supports during their passage past said member', and means for causing movement of the frictional surface in a direction the reverse of that of the movement of the supports and at the same speed.

18. In a machine for boarding leather, a plurality of supports, each having aclamping member adapted to support a piece of leather and to clamp it to the support, a member havino' a frictional surface for contacting with a piece of Work and supported so as to be stationary in space for co-operation with the supports as they move in succession past said member, the frictional surface on the member being arranged to press a fold in a piece of Work against a Work support and by its frictional contact to cause the fold to travel along each support in turn for effecting boarding of the leather, means for moving the supports and their clamping members pastl said member, and means for supporting and guiding the supports While each in turn is co-operating With said member.

19. ln a machine for boarding leather, a plurality of supports, each having a clamping member provided With a Work supporting surface and operative to clamp a piece of Work to the support, a member having a frictional surface for contacting With a piece of Work and arranged for engagement with pieces of Work backed by the Work supporting surfaces of the clamping members and by the supports in succession for boarding the leather, means for moving the supports with their clamping members past said member, and means for supporting and guiding the supports during their passage past said member, said member being mounted to project into the path of each clamping member and support and to move yieldingly away from the plane of the clamping member and support.

20. ln a machine for boarding leather, a plurality of supports for pieces of leather, a rotar;7 member having a uniform frictional surface for contacting Wit-h a piece of leather and arranged for co-operation with each support in succession to operate upon the leather on the supports, means for rotatinfr the member, and means for movin(y each support past the member in a direction opposed to the direction of rotary movement of the member, and at the same speed, the frictional surface being` arranged to press the l-eather against ie support and to cause it to move along over the support during movements of the support and member.

21. ln a machine for boarding leather, a plurality of Work supports for pieces of leather, a rotary member having a uniform frictional surface for contacting With a piece of leather and arranged for Vco-operation With each support in succession, means for moving the supports past the rotary member, and means for rotating the member, said means for moving the supports and said rotating means having a common element arranged to drive the rotary member at a peripheral speed equivalent to the rate of movement of the work supports.

22. ln a machine for boarding leather, a plurality of supports for pieces of leather, a member having a uniform frictional surface arranged to press a fold in ay piece of leat ier against a Work support to move the fold over the Work supporting surface of each support in succession to board the leather on the supports, each support comprising clamping member for temporarily securing the leather to the support, and means operating automatically to cause closing and opening of Jthe clamping members in succession in timed relation to the movement of the Work support to clamp and to release each piece of leather.

23. ln a machine for operating on leather, a plurality of supports moving in succession to work receiving position, each support comprising a clamp for holding Work on the support, means for opening the clamp before its associated support arrives at Work receiving position, a member having a uniform frictional surface operative to press a fold in a piece of Work against a Work support to cause the fold to travel over the surface of each Work support in turn, and means arranged to co-operate with each Work support in turn to close the clamp prior to the operation of the boarding member.

24. ln a machine for boarding leather', a boarding member having a uniform frictional surface for contacting With a'piece of Work, a support movable to present piece of Work to the boarding member for a boarding operation, said support comprising tivo members relatively movable with respect to each other to clamp the piece of leather to the supportprior to the boarding operation, and means for causing clamping of the piece of Work in timec relation to the movement of the support, said boarding member with its frictional surface beine' arranged to press a fold in the piece of Work against the support to move the fold over the surface of the support to effect boarding of the leather'.

ln a machine for boarding leather, a -Work support movable between Work receiving and Work presenting positions, said Work support comprising a clamping member operative to secure a piece of Work temiviorarily to the support, a member having a uniform frictional surface to press upon the piece of Work backed by the Work support while the latter is in Work presenting position, and means for opening and closing the clamping member in timed relation to the movements of the Work support.

26. ln a machine for boarding leather, a

boarding` member having a frietional surface for contacting With a piece of Work, a support for the uorl: movable between ivorir receiving position and Work presenting position with respect to the boarding member, said n'oi'l; supp rt comprising a clamping men'iber operative to clamp a piece of Work temporarily on the support, said boarding member and support being relatively movable to eii'ect a boarding' operation on the piece of Work miped to the support, means for return movable support to initial Work position, and a stationary ,5 on the clamping' member to 'z open position ourine' moveeration.

Q7. ln a machine for boarding leather, a boarding member having a unifor n frictional surface for contactin with a piece of Work, a support movable in a path past the boarding member to present a piece of Work to the boarding member for a boarding operation, said support comprising two members relatively movable with respect to each other to clamp the piece of ivorl; to the support prior to the boarding operation, and cam means render-ed effective by he moving support for causing clamping and unclamping of the piece of Worlr on the support in timed relation to the movement of the support, said boarding member being movable relatively to the support and through its frictional surface co-operating with the support to effect boarding of the Work during said relative movement.

28, in a machine for boarding leather, a boarding member having a ui 'form frictional surface for contacting 'with a piece of Worlr, a support movable in a straight path past the boarding member to present a piece i f Work to the boarding member for a boarding operation, said vforlr support comprising a clampingl member operative to secur th piece of Work temporarily7 to the support, and means automatically operative to cause clamping' of the Work to the support before the support reaches the boarding' member and unclamping of the piece of Work after the Work support leaves the boarding member, said boarding member through its frictional surface co-operating with the support to effect boarding of the Work While it is clamped to the support.

29. ln a machine for boarding leather, a worlr support movable between Work receiving' and Work presenting positions, said Work support comprisingl a clamping member having' a Work supporting surface and a clamping surface operative to secure a folded piece of Werl: temporarily to the support, a tool co-operating with the work support While the latter is in Worn presenting position for boarding' the piece of ivorlr, and means for causing relative movement between the Work support and the tool, the tool being arranged to press the folded Work against the Work supporting surfaces of the clamping member and of the Work support and to prevent forward movement of a portion of the Work While another portion of the Work continues to move in the forward direction With the Work support, to cause graining of the piece of Work.

30. In a machine for boarding leather, a Work support movable between Work receivand Work presenting positions, said Work support comprising` a clamping member operative to secure piece of Work temporarily to the support, a tool having a uniform frictional surface arranged to move a fold in a piece of Work along the Work support While the latter is in Work presenting position for boarding the piece of Work, and means comprising' a stationary cam for opening the clamping member while the support is moving to Work receiving position.

3l. In a machine for boarding leather, a boarding member having a uniform frictional surface for contacting with a piece of Work, a support for a piece of Work movable to present the Work to the boarding member, said Work support comprising a clamping member having a Work supporting surface and also a clamping surface for securing' a piece of Work temporarily to the support, cams rendered effective by the moving support for operating the clamp to close and to open the same in timed relation to the movements of the support, and means for causing relative movement between the support and the boarding member to eect a boarding operation on the piece of Work While it is backed by the support and by the Work supporting surface of the clamping member.

82. In a machine for boarding leather, a boarding member, a plurality of Work-supporting members, an endless chain arranged to move said members in a given path, a support rigidly to back the Work supporting members during boarding operations in cooperation with the boarding member, said boarding member and a given Work supporting` member being' operative to form a fold in a piece of Work, said boarding member being rotated on its axis to turn at a peripheral speed equivalent to the rate of movement of the Work supporting members whereby the boarding member and a co-operating Work-supporting member bear the same predetermined relation to the fold in the leather throughout a given boarding operation.

33. In a machine for boarding leather, a boarding member, a plurality of plane-surfaced members iiexibly joined together and arranged to mov-e in an endless path to serve as Work supports for co-operation with the boarding member in boarding operations on successive pieces of work, means for moving the work supports along an endless path, and means for causing rotary movement of the boarding member in a direction the reverse of the movement of the work supports and at the same speed, the flexibly joined work supports being arranged to carry each piece of work past the boarding member to a discharge station at the rear end of the machine, thus permitting the introduction of new pieces of work in succession at the front of the machine.

34. In a boarding or graining machine, a boarding or graining member having a frictional surface for contacting with a piece of work, said boarding or graining member being stationary in space and an endless series of work supporting tables each adapted to receive a folded piece of work at the front of the machine and to present it for removal at the rear of the machine, means for moving the endless series of tables past the boarding or graining member, each table in turn cooperating with the boarding or graining member, the frictional surface of the latter being arranged to press the folded Work against each table in turn and to prevent forward movement of a portion of the work while another portion of the work continues to move in the forward direction with the table to cause graining of the piece of work.

35. In a boarding or graining machine, a boarding or graining member having a frictional surface for contacting with a piece of work, said boarding or graining member being stationary in space and an endless carrier having a plurality of work supporting surfaces for co-operation with the boarding or graining member, means for moving the endless carrier to cause the work supporting surfaces to pass the boarding or graining member, the frictional surface being arranged to press the work against each work supporting surface in turn and to prevent forward movement of a portion of the work while the supporting surface and another portion of the work continue in motion in the forward direction, whereby one portion of the work is caused to move upon another portion, said carrier moving constantly in one direction to receive work at the front end of the machine and present it for discharge at the rear end thereof. Y

36. In a boarding or graining machine, a boarding or graining member mounted to rotate upon an axis and having a frictional surface for contacting with a piece of work, an endless carrier having a plurality of Worksupporting surfaces for co-operation with the boarding or graining member, said endless carrier having its upper run moving along in a substantially horizontal plane from front to rear of the machine, and means for moving the boarding or graining member about its axis to cause its frictional surface t0 move in

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