US2009475A - Means for operating upon hides, skins, and leather - Google Patents

Description

july 3% "1935 J. H. CONNOR MEANS FOR OPERATING UPON HIDES, SKINS AND HEATHER Filed June 24, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l V mm J. H. CONNOR 2,009,475

MEANS FOR OPERATING UPON HIDES, SKINS AND LEATHER July 30, 1935.

Filed June 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 30, 1935 r v UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs MEANS FOR OPERATING UPON HIDES, SKINS, AND LEATHER John H. Connor, Newton, Mass, assignor to The Tanning Process Company, Boston, Mass a corporation of Massachusetts r Application June 24, 1933, Serial No. 677,357

28 Claims. (Cl. 149-16) This invention relates to means for operating chine in the line of machines provided for operatupon hides, skins, leather and other similar ing upon hides and skins. As illustrated, the pieces of work. While the invention is illuswork receiving means or stacker is embodied in a trated as embodied in a machine for performing machine designed to operate upon pieces of'work putting-out operations upon hides and skins it as the latter move away from the operator during 6 is to be understood that the invention and vamachine treatment thereof, and comprises a car rious important features thereof may have other rier movable in timed relation to a work support applications and uses. which operates between a work receiving posi It is an object of the invention to improve tantion and a work presenting position with respect 10 nery machines of the type wherein substantially to a work treating tool, the said carrier having 10 one-half of a given piece'of work is operated upon a crossbar operated to receive each treated piece during a cycle of the machine after which the of Work from the work support and hold it sus- Work is reversed in position and reintroduced to pended in such position that it may be most secure treatment of the other half ofthe piece of readily picked up by the operator for reintro- 5' work. Another object is to expedite handling of duction into the same or a similar machine. the pieces of work so that the operator may be Preferably and as illustrated, a feeding-in tadelayed as little as possible in presenting sucble of special construction is provided to facilicessive pieces of work to the machine, it being tate proper positioning of the work by the 0pclear that the productive capacity of a machine is erator for treatment by the machine, said table determined in part by the length of the intertending also to maintain proper positioning of the 20 vals between introductions of pieces of work, the work as the latter is fed thereo-ver. These feashorter such intervals on the average the great tures of construction furnish additionalreasons er the output. It is a further object of the inwhy it is possible for the operator to keep the vention to make provision for assisting the opmachine constantly working at capacity.

erator in positioning the work in such manner The above-mentioned and other important 25 that effort to this end, on the part of the opfeatures of the'invention and novel combinations erator, is substantially reduced. of parts will now be described in detail in the To these ends and in accordance with an imspecification and then pointed out more particuportant feature of the invention, there is provided larly in the appended claims.

in the illustrated machine means for receiving In the drawings, g 30 each piece of work as it is being operated upon Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation and partly in and holding it in such condition that it may subsection of a putting-out machine illustrating one sequently be readily picked up by the operator embodiment of the invention;

for introduction into the same or another simi- 'Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the work suplar machine for completion of treatment of the port in work receiving position; 7

work pieces. By this means the work of the op- Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line III- II I erator is facilitated and he is relieved of the of Fig.2; and

necessity of waitingfor the machine to operate Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line upon a piece of work introduced therein, since IVIV of Fig.2. I H i 40 the work-receiving means takes care of the work In the illustrated machine, which is specially 40 coming from the machine. Hence, .he may designed to perform putting-out operations upon promptly turn his attention to the introduction hides and skins, there is provided a worksupof a fresh piece of work and thus secure pracport comprisingabed roll I0,afeeding-in table I2, tically continuous operation of the machine up and a delivery table I4, the tables I2 and M beto its full capacity. The receiving and holding ing rotatablycarried upon shaft I6 of the bed 5 means referred to may conveniently be utilized as roll I0, and swing arm I8' being provided with a stacker, whereby a suitable number of pieces journal bearings to'support rotatably the shaft may be allowed to accumulate upon the work I6. To hold the tables I2 and I4, which are receiving means before they are removed for fastened together, at the desired angle while in introduction a second time into the same or a work receiving and work presenting positions, similar machine to complete treatment of each the table I2 is fitted with projections or brackets, piece. 7 Alternatively, the completely treated one of which is shown at I9 provided with a stud pieces or work may be allowed to accumulate on 2| slidably engaged in a slot 23 in theadjacent the receiving means serving as a stacker before end frameof the-machine. As the work support removing them for treatment by another. ma moves upwardly-and downwardly'the position of 55 the tables I2, I4 is controlled by said slot to maintain the table always at the same inclination to the horizontal. Preferably and as shown the shaft I6 has its journal supports in blocks one of which is shown at 20 in Fig. 1, each block 28 being backed by a spring 22 interposed between the block 20 and an abutment 24 rigidly secured to the swing arm I8. By thus mounting the shaft I6 in spring pressed blocks 20 the bed roll I0 may yield relatively to a work treating tool.

In the illustrated construction the worktreating tool is a bladed cylinder 26 especially constructed to perform putting-out operations upon hides and skins. It is to be understood, however, that the bladed cylinder 26 is removably mounted in the frame of the machine so that it may be removed and replaced by any one of several bladed cylinders the blades of which are adapted to perform such operations as fleshing and unhairing. The shaft of the cylinder 26 is mounted in journals provided in the frame of the machine and is driven continuously by power means, not shown. To prevent water or other waste material from being spattered on the operator, the cylinder 26 is protected by a guard 21.

For co-operating with the bed roll I O in feeding the work there is provided a feed roll 30 mounted upon a shaft, 32 carried by blocks one of which is shownat 34 in Fig. 1, each block being backed by a spring ,36 so that it may be moved upwardly along a guideway 38 provided in the frame of the machine. Bythis construction thefeed roll 30 is adapted yieldingly to accommodate itself to variations in thickness of the work passing over the bed roll I0. For driving the feed roll 30 there is provided a sprocket wheel 40 about which passes a chain 42, the latter being engaged also with a sprocket 44 fixedly secured to a shaft 46 arranged to be driven continuously while the machine is in operation-by power means (not shown). It follows that the feed roll 30 is also driven continuously while the machine is in operation. Conveniently the shaft 32 of the feed roll 30 is provided with a long toothed gear. 48 arranged to mesh with a. similar gear 58 secured to the shaft I6 of the bed roll ID, the arrangement being such that thetwo gears 48 and 5!! become meshed with each other when the bed roll Ill moves to work presenting position with respect to the feed roll 30 and the bladed cylinder 26. In other words, the bed roll I0 is driven from the feed roll 30 when the bed roll moves into co-operative relation with respect to the bed ,roll 30 and the bladed cylinder 26, the bed roll IE3 being disconnected from the driving means as'it moves away from work presentingposition toward the work receiving position shown in Fig. 2.

As before stated the bed roll I0 is mounted in swing arms I8 which are pivotally mounted at 54 in the frame of the machine so that the swing arms I8 may be rocked to carry the work support alternately between work receiving and work presenting positions. For thus rocking the swing arms I8 there is provided a pair of pitmen one of which is shown at 56 in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the said pitman 56 being pivoted to the swing arm I8 at 58 and carrying a pair of cam" rollers 60, 62, the cam rollers 60, 62 being movable in a vertical slotf64 (Fig. 2) in the adjacent end frame of the machine with the rollers 60, 62 engaging opposite points on a cam 66 rigidly secured to a cam shaft 68 which also carries secured thereto a large gear wheel 10 having teeth arranged constantly in mesh with the teeth of a pinion 12 rotatably mounted on the shaft 46. t

When the pinion I2 is clutched to the continuously rotating power shaft 45, the large gear wheel ID is rotated in the direction of the arrow to cause reciprocation of the pitmen 56 to effect movement of the work support alternately between work receiving and work presenting positions, the work support being retained in its said positions by means under the control of the operator as will be subsequently explained herein.

A hide or skin introduced into the illustrated machine is operated upon throughout substantially one-half of its area after which it must be reintroduced into the machine to complete the treatment upon the remaining half. To facilitate the work of the operator there is provided a work receiving means which receives the work from the work support and holds it in a position such that the operator may readily lift it into position for a succeeding operation. This work receiving and holding means comprises, as shown, a, rod or crossbarBlI 'of a length substantially greater than the length of the largest hide or skin which the machine is adapted to operate upon. This rod or crossbar 89 is supported at its opposite ends by carrier chains one of which is shown at 82, supported upon a toothed wheel 84 rigidly secured to a shaft 36, the said chain 82 being also engaged with smaller toothed wheels 88 and mounted upon shafts '92 and 94, respectively, so positioned that the chain 82 is caused to travel with its upper run in a horizontal plane whereby a piece of work supported upon the rod or crossbar 83 is carried toward the rear of the machine in such position that it may be readily removed by the operator and furthermore in such position that it is suspended clear of the floor. C0nveniently the shaft is mounted in movable blocks one of which is shown at 96, the arrangement being such that. the shaft 94 may be adjusted in such manner as to adjust properly the tension of the carrier chains 82. Preferably the rod or crossbarflfi is detachably supported by the chains 62 so that it may be removed with a stack of skins thereon while an empty rod or crossbar is substituted therefor.

For driving the carrier chains 2 there is provided driving means comprising a, sprocket wheel I 06 keyed to the shaft 86. Around the sprocket wheel H35 there is passed a chain I02 which is also engaged with a sprocket wheel I64 fixedly mounted upon a shaft I06 which has fixedly secured thereto a pinion 08 in mesh with the pinion l2 rotatably mounted on the shaft 45. Hence, when the pinion I2 is clutched to the shaft 45 by a treadle operated clutch ID! the carrier chains 82 are moved in timed relation to the movement of .the work support by the swing-arm operating cams 66 on the shaft 68. Upon depression. of the treadle I09 the clutch! TI is caused to become operative. At the same time a pin I I I on a spring-pressed lever H3 is moved out of a notch IE5 in a stop disk In, the arrangement being such that thepin I I I will drop into another notch after one-half revolution of the shaft 58 and thus cause disconnection of the clutch. For a more detailed description of the operation aclutch and stop disk of the type herein used reference may be had to United States Letters Patent No. 873,790, granted December 17, 1907 upon application of J. Rood and F. J. Perkins.

Preferably and as shown, a specially constructed feeding-in table is provided to facilitate the work of the operator in properly positioning a piece of work upon the work support as a preliminary to reatment thereof by the bladecl' cylinder 26.

Upon reference to Fig. 3 ofthe drawings itwill be seen that the work support I2 is convexly curved from end to end thereof so that a hide or skin thrown over the work support comprising the bed roll it and tables l2 and M will rest in properly spread out condition upon the convexly curved support i2, it being remembered in this connection that each hide or skin served as a covering to a'rounded, more 'or less barrel-shaped, animal body. It is for this reason that the hide or skin wi l conform to a convexly curved work support more closely than to a plane-surfaced work support. Furthermore, each hide or skin has two shank portions on each side of the backbone line, and these shank portions have a distinct tendency to become folded while passing over the work support commonly provided with machines of the beamhouse type. By providing a convexly curved work supporting surface upon the feeding-in table the shank members are caused to be supported at the proper angle to the backbone line of the skin, thus eliminating folds, which otherwisewould appear. While this positioning of the shank portions of the hide or skin is not entirely automatic, the convexly curved work support certainly facilitates the work of the operator in smoothing out the shank portions of the skin in proper position for treatment by the bladed cylinder. On the other hand, the delivery table i4 may be of the usual flat surfaced type since the work simply slides over this surface in moving toward th receiver or stacker comprising the bar 86 and the carrier chains 82.

In operating the illustrated machine, a piece of work such as a hide or skin i5 is thrown over the work support while the latter is in a position shown in Fig. 2, reasonable care being taken to locate the backbone line of the hide or skin substantially along the line I05 (Fig. 2) that is, along a line parallel to the axis of the bed roll i0 and a little forward of a line formed on the bed roll by projecting a plane vertically through the axis of the shaft IS. The purpose of thus locating the piece of work is to secure operation upon substantially one-half of the hide or skin at the first operation of the machine and so that the hide or skin may be properly supported upon the rod or crossbar 89 with substantially one-half of the hide or skin in suspended relation on each side of said rod or crossbar, thus insuring that the hide or skin will not slip from the supporting rod or crossbar. During the operation of the machine, the piece of work is fed away from the front of the machine by the feed roll and during this feeding movement the crossbar 8B is moved rearwardly at substantially the same rate or" movement with the result that when the crossbar 88 reaches the rear end of its upper horizontal path and stops at or about the point H2 (F 1) the treated portion of the work will drop from the delivery table I4, thus leaving the hide.

or skin entirely supported by the crossbar 80. If the treated portion of the work is still being operated upon when the crossbar 80 reaches the point 552 in Fig. 1, the feedroll 3B and the bed roll l0 continue to feed the work past the bladed cylinder 26 until treatment of that half of the work is completed, whereupon it drops from the delivery table it and quickly reaches a suspended relation with respect to the crossbar 89. While the work support is-returning to work receiving position shown in Fig. 2, the carrier chains 82 are traveling to bring the rod or crossbar 8% to the position shown in Fig. 2. These movements of the work support and carrier are initiated by depression of the treadle I09 operating through-the clutch ID! by which the pinion 12 becomes secured for rotation with the shaft 46. At the end of a half revolution of the shaft 68 the clutch is disconnected (by pin Ill falling into one of the notches H5 in the disk I I?) leaving the work support stationary in its workreceiving position and the carrier der 26, movement of the carrier chains 82 also taking place so as to bring the rod or crossbar 8E! into engaging relation upon the inside surface of the suspended portion of the hide or skin I I!) to the left in Fig. 2, that is, into the position shown in Fig.1. The pinion I2 continues to rotate for a definite period after the work support reaches Work presenting position, the earns 66 having concentric portions which hold the work support in work presenting position during this period, the movement of the cam shaft 68 being accompanied also by travel of the carrier chains 82 so that the hide or skin H0 is picked up by the rod or slat 89 and carried to a delivery position at the rear of its upper horizontal run. As the crossbar reaches the point H2 (Fig. 1), the clutch I0! is again thrown out and the work support locked in its work presenting position due to the operation of the stop pin HI and stop disk H1 mentioned above. Now, depression of the treadle causes return of the parts to the positions shown in Fig. '2.

If a single machine of the kind shown in the drawings is utilized for operations uponhides and skins, pieces of Work are allowed to accumulate upon the crossbar 80 operating as a stacker. 7

upon the portion which remained untreated after itsfirst trip through the machine. It is contemplated, however, that for the speediest Work two machines of the type shown in the drawings will be arranged in line with each other, the operator of the second machine taking each piece of work in turn from the crossbar when itreaches the rear of the first machine. Since each piece of Work is supported with approximately one-half thereof suspended upon each side of the crossbar, the work is so positioned, as to be readily lifted by the operator of the second machine and, more over, is in such position that, when he turns from the rear of the first machine to his own machine, the work is ready for introduction into the second machine by throwing the treated portion over the delivery table i l-and with the untreated portion resting upon the feeding-in table i2 In other words, the work'is so positioned upon the crossbar 88 of the first machine that the operator of the second machine receives the work in such position that he does not need to reverse it in.

1. In a machine for operating upon hides; skins and pieces of leather, a work treating tool, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to said tool, and means to receive each piece of work as it is being operated upon and to hold it suspended with substantially half of the work on each side of the line of suspension.

2. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a work treating tool, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to said tool, and means operated in timed relation to the movement of the worksupport to receive each piece of work as it is being operated upon and to hold it suspended with substantially half of the work on each side of the line of suspension.

3. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a work treating tool, a work support movable between work receiving position work presenting'position with respect to said tool, and a carrier movable away from and toward the work support intimed relation to the movement of the latter to receive each piece of work from the work support and transport it away therefrom.

In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a tool for treating the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to the tool, means to feed the work over the work support, and means comprising a rod for receiving each piece of work as it is fed from the work support to support the work suspended substantially half on each side of the rod.

5. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a tool for treating the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to the tool, means to feed the work over the work support, and a carrier movable in dir ctions toward and from the work support and constructed and arranged to receive each piece of work in turn from the work support and to support said piece of work suspended from a transverse median portion thereof.

6. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a work treating tool, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to said tool, and means operable as a stacker to receive each piece of work as it is being operated upon and to hold it suspended with substantially half of the work on each side of the line of suspension.

7. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a work treating tool, a work support movable between work receiving osition and work presenting position with re- .pect to said tool, means to feed the work over he work support, and a stacker movable in timed relation to the movement of the work support to receive each piece of work as it is fed from the work support and support it'suspended with about half of the work on each side of the line of suspension.

8. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for treating the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to the cylinder, means to feed the work over the work support, and a stacker comprising a rod movable alternately toward and from the work support to reeive each pieceof work as it is fed from the work support and to support the work suspended substantially half on each side of the rod.

9. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for treating the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to the cylinder, means to feed the work over the work support, and a stacker comprising a rod movable into position to receive each piece of work in turn from the work support and movable also in a horizontal plane away from the work support to carry said piece of work to the rear of the machine.

10. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for treating the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presentin position with respect to the cylinder, means to feed the work over the work support, and a stacker comprising a rod arranged to move in an endless path to engage each piece of Work as the latter rests on the work support and to carry the work to the rear of the machine away from the work support.

11, In a machine for operating upon hides, skins pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for treating the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to the cylinder, means to feed the work over the work support, a stacker movabl toward the work support into position for receiving each piece of work from the work support as the work is'fed therefrom and away from the work support to carry the work to the rear of the machine, and interconnected means for moving the stacker in timed relation to the movement of the work support to work present- Eng position with respect to said cylinder.

12. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for treating the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to the rotary cylinder, means for feeding the work over the Work support, and a carrier comprising a rod arranged to engage apiece of Work at approximately a transverse median line thereof to support the work suspended along said median line, said rod being movable to carry the piece of work to the rear of the machine.

13. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for treating the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to the rotary cylinder, means for feeding the work over the work support, work receiving means operated in timed relation to the movement of the work support to receive each piece of work from the work support as the work is fed therefrom and to support the work suspended along a transverse median line thereof, and means to move the work receiving means in an endless path to receive the work and to carry it to the rear of the machine.

14. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for operating on the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to said cylinder, a feed roll for co-operation with the work support in feeding the work past the cylinder, means to drive the feed roll continuously, means to move the Work support to work presenting position with respect to the cylinder and the feed roll,

means to receive the work from the work support, and means to drive the work receiving means in timed relation to the movement of the work support to work presenting position.

15. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for operating on the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to said cylinder, a feed roll for co-operation with the work support in feeding the work past the cylinder, means to drive the feed roll and the rotary cylinder continuously, means to move the work support to work presenting position with respect to the cylinder and the feed roll and to hold it there, means comprising a rod for receiving a piece of work from the work support as it is being moved thereover by the work feeding roll and being treated by said cylinder, and interconnected means for driving the work receiving means and for moving the work support whereby the rod of the work receiving means is always in proper initial position to receive the work from the work support.

16. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for treating the work, a work support movable between work receiving position and work presenting position with respect to the rotary cylinder, means to feed the piece of Work over the work support in a direction away from the front of the machine, a carrier iocated at the rear of the work support to receive a piece of work as it is fed from the work support, and means to move the work support to work receiving position and to hold it there during treatment of substantiallyhalf of the work, said work support moving means being also connected to said carrier to drive the latter for a predetermined period to cause the carrier to receive a portion of the piece of work being operated upon the work support and carry it rearwardly while the work is still being treated upon the work support.

17. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for operating on a piece of work, a work support comprising a bed roll movable to present a piece of work to the cylinder, a feed roll arranged to cooperate with the bed roll in feeding the work, means comprising a cam for moving the work support to work presenting position and maintaining it there during treatment of the work, means comprising a crossbar for receiving each piece of work from the work support and supporting it suspended from said crossbar, interconnected means for driving said cam and the work receiving means in timed relation to each other, said interconnected means being constructed and arranged to stop with the work support supported by the cam in work presenting position, and means for driving the work feeding roll and the cylinder independently of said interconnected means whereby treatment of the work may continue after interruption of the movement of the work support and the work receiving means.

18. In a machine for operating upon hides,

skins and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for operating on a piece of work, a work support comprising a bed roll for presenting a piece of work to the cylinder, a feed roll arranged to cooperate with the bed roll to feed the work past the cylinder, means comprising a cam for moving the work support to work presenting position with respect to said cylinder and for maintaining it there during treatment of the work, said cam having a concentric portion operative to maintain the work sup-port in work presenting position, work receiving means comprising a crossbar for receiving the piece of work from the work to complete the treatment thereof While the work 7 support remains in work presenting position.

19. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, pivotally mounted work support mechanism comprising a bed roll, a

table mounted for movement with they bed roll,

means for moving the bed roll and table about a common axis alternately between work receiving and work presenting positions with respect, to a tool, and means for maintaining the table at the same inclination to the horizontal while it is in work receiving and work presenting positions. 20. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, work support mech anism comprising a bed roll, a table mounted for rocking movement about the axis of the bed roll, means for moving the bed roll and table alternately between work receiving and work presenting positions with respect to a tool, and means for rocking the table about the axis of thebed roll to maintain it at the same inclination to the horizontal while it is being moved alternately between work receiving and work presenting positions.

21. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and pieces of leather, work support mechanism comprising a bed roll, a table mounted for movement with the bed roll, means for moving the bed roll and table alternately between work receiving and work presenting positions with respect to a tool, and means comprising a roller and slot one of which is fixed with respect to the table for maintaining the table at the proper inclination while it is traveling alternately between work receiving and Work presenting poalternately between work receiving and work presenting positions with respect to a tool, an idler roll carried by the table, and means comprising a fixed member having a slot for the reception of the idler roll whereby the table is controlled as to its inclination during its movements between work receiving and work presenting positions.

23. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and pieces of leather, a rotary cylinder for operating on a piece of work, a bed roll for backing the piece of work against the thrust of the rotary member, and a feeding-in table associated with the bed roll, said feeding-in table having a broad and nearly fiat work-supporting surface below the work-supporting surface of the bed roll and at an inclination to a plane passing vertically through the axis of the bed roll, said surface being convexly curved in the direction of the length of the bed roll, whereby pieces of work drawn over the relatively broad work-supporting JOHN H. CONNOR.

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