US2210581A - Thin colored fishskin - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 6,- 1940 PATIENT OFFICE 'rnm oononsn FISHSKIN Edward. Goerk, Newruri'i', s. r.

No Drawing. Application August 14, 1937, Serial No. 159,113

7 Cla m.

This inventionrelates'to the use of thin fishskins. It has for its purpose utilizing such skins selected primarily for color and design, or transparency, to create new articles of manufacture and to be combined with other materials to give new and decorative effects and added economic value. For example the whole treated skins, or parts thereof, either alone or in combination, may be used in the manufacture of shoe tops for 10. women's shoes or for a great variety of other articles such as handbags, traveling cases, cigarette cases, vanity cases, the decoration of gloves, millinery trimmings, and other uses.

While the skins from a great variety of fishes,

too numerous to recite herein, may be used, I

will mention by way of example the many varieties of small, tropical fish, such as are found off the coast of Florida, and in many other places throughout the world. Many of these fish, as for example those of the Soaridai, Serranidae, Labridae, Sparidae, Pomacentridae, and Balistidae families, are characterized by their varied and remarkable coloring, and the design of the skins after the scales are removed. Many of these skins are also transparent to a high degree. Very interesting and ornamental effects can be obtained with these skins.

v Heretofore it has been suggested to form leather out of heavy fishskins such as porpoise, shark and whale. The leather so obtained is very thick, requires an extended period for treatment,

- and is of a dull appearance, without substantial variation in color. Furthermore such leather is altogether lacking in transparency. Both because of its thickness and its relatively uninteresting appareance it is not suitable for use in the light type of women's shoes which are almost universally used today, or the other uses contemplated herein.

One of the purposes of this invention is to preserve to a high degree the natural, and often bril. liant color of the'thin fishskins used. Another purpose is to utilize the symmetrical design of these fishskins. I

The appreciation of the desirability of using transparent skins, and of how to use this transparency, the degree of which varies greatlywith the different fishskins selected, constitutes an important part of this invention.

The skins from the selected fish should be treated promptly after the fish are taken from the water to obtain the best results. The skins may first be treated to remove scales in any suitable way, such as by treatment in a solution of acetic 85 acid followed by rubbing. After this operation the blood and body fluids generally are removed from the skins, after which the skins are rapidly tanned. I have found that very suitable results may be obtained by treating the skins as follows:

1. Placing them in a weak solution of acetic acid for approximately 10 minutes and removing and scraping them to remove the scales. A piece. of wood, or whale'bone makes a satisfactory scraping means. The strength of the solution may be considerably varied but from 1 to 5% will usually be sufllcient.

2. Soakingthe skins in a weak solution of a lime for a period depending on the nature of the skin. While I am not limited thereto the period will usually be from 1 to 12 hours, and the strength of the solution may be similarly varied.

3. Wash the skins to remove the lime, using soapwood to avoid lye found in ordinary soaps, and rinse.

4. Immerse the skins in aweak solution of tannic acid extract of sumac bark varying in intensity according to the skins treated.

The skins selected and treated as set forth above have an attractive natural coloration and often combine in one skin several colors thus giving an-interesting and attractive appearance to the articles into which they are incorporated.

Due to the transparency of many of the fish skins which are the subject of my invention the color effect-may be enhanced by plgmenting or otherwise coloring the reverse or backside of the skins or by combining with the skins a colored lining or backing which may be of cambric, canvas, or any other suitable material. The backing not only adds to the attractive coloration of a shoe top or other product formed from the skin but also serves to strengthen and give shape to theskirl.

In the manufacture of shoe tops the use or one skin in making up the top for one shoe is one of the uses contemplated. For this purpose th dorsal fin of each fish is bufied down until it is merely a ridge extending along the center line of the shoe extending from the toe over the instep. The natural marking and pattern of the skins used in this way formsa very pleasing and symmetrical design which is greatly enhanced by the coloration of the skins.

It will be understood that this application is not limited'to the specific treatment described herein, nor to the uses mentioned, but only by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. As a new article of commerce a thin fishskin having a longitudinal rib formed by bufling 5. A shoe top comprising a flshskin symmetridown the dorsal fin. cally arranged with the bufled down dorsal fin 2. As a new article of commerce 9. tanned thin forming a centrally extending rib. flshskln having a high degree of its natural col- 6. The product comprising in combination a 5 oration and a longitudinal rib formed by bumng translucent naturally pigmented flshskin and a 5 down the dorsal fin. supplementary backing visible therethrough.

3. A shoe top comprising a thin flshskin hav- 7. The product comprising in combination an ing the dorsal fin buffed down forming a rib. unbleached, naturally pigmented and translucent 4. A shoe top comprising a thin fishskin havfishskin, and a supporting backing therefor 10 ing the dorsal fln bufied down forming a rib adapted to supplement the natural color and de- 10 extending along the center line from the toe to sign of the skin. the instep. EDWARD GOERK.