US2426372A

US2426372A - Treating skins, textile fabrics, and the like

Info

Publication number: US2426372A
Application number: US670188A
Authority: US
Inventors: Poser Paul
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-05-16
Filing date: 1946-05-16
Publication date: 1947-08-26
Anticipated expiration: 1964-08-26
Also published as: FR931096A

Description

P. POSER TREATING SKINS, TEXTILE FABRICS, AND THE LIKE Aug. 26, 1947.

Filed May '16, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet l Invenfir JZmZ Poser P. POSER TREATING SK INS, TEXTILE FABRICS, AND THE LIKE Filed May 16, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 26, 1947. P. POSER TREATING SKINS TEXTILE FABRICS, AND THE LIKE Fi led May 16, 1946 7 She ets-She aet 3 mm iiiim m IQQi IIPIL Flo -s P. PO'SER I Aug. 26,1947.

TREATING SKINS, TEXTILE FABRICS; AND THE'LIKE Filed May 16, 1946 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 TREATING SKINS, TEXTILE FABRICS, AND THE LIKE I My lwenr A FIG 6 Aug. 26, 194

7. P. POS'ER 2,426,372

TREATING SKINS, TEXTILEFABRICS, AND THE LIKE Filed May 16, 1946 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 I I Au 26, 194-7; P. P SE'R 2,426,372

TREATING SKINS, TEXT ILE FABRICSQIIND THE LIKE Filed May 16, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 W W/22am,

Patented Aug. 26, 1947 TREATING SKINS, TEXTILE FABRICS, AND THE LIKE Paul Poser, London, England Application May 16, 1946, Serial No. 670,188/

In Great Britain May 16, 1945 '7 Claims. (CI. 69-31) This invention relates to the treating, as by washing, bleaching, dyeing, waterproofing, and complete or partial drying, of fur skins, skivers, small hides, and textile materials (all of which are hereinafter referred to as skins), and my object is to provide an improved method of and apparatus for these purposes whereby the treatment can be carried out efficiently under complete and continuous control in a rapid, safe, and clean manner, with a minimum of risk of toxic injury to the operator and of the need for handling the skins. For convenience of description the term reagent is used, in the following description, to denote any appropriate liquor employed in treating the skins.

According to this invention the method of treating skins consists of the following steps, (a) arranging a number of skins in a stack within an hermetically-sealed chamber, (b) circulating the appropriate reagent across the chamber in a direction which is substantially parallel to the planes of the individual skins, causing different portions of the peripheries of the skins in the stack to be presented to the flow of the reagent (e. g., by maintaining a steady reagent flow and moving the stack with reference thereto, or by maintaining the stack stationary and reversing the direction of reagent flow), (d) subjecting the skins to continuous fiexure and repeated alternations of pressure increments in different parts in a direction transverse to the reagent flow so as to force the reagent intimately into the substance of the skins, (e) controlling the temperatureof the reagent, and (1), after withdrawing the reagent, drying or partially drying the skins in the chamber.

The method may include the further steps of initially exhausting, of air, the chamber in which the skins are to be treated so as to secure better penetration of the reagent, and of exhausting the said chamber after any processing step has been completed so as better to remove any reagent which is wetting the skins. The method may include the circulating of heated air to facilitate oxydising and drying the skins.

According to a further feature of the invention, the apparatus for carrying out the improved method includes a chamber in which the skins are to be placed in a stack, a header tank for a reagent to be used in the treatment, means for controlling the reagent flow at a varying speed and pressure through the chamber and the stack of skins, the latter to be so arranged that the planes of the individual skins will be substantially parallel to the direction of the said flow,

means for causing different portions of the peripheries of the skins in the stack to be presented to the flow of the reagent, means serving for repeatedly and alternately applying pressure increments to different areas of the skins, in a direction generally normal to the fluid flow, such means also serving for flexing the skins continuously at the same time, valve means for controlling the flow of the reagent, and thermostatically-controlled heating means for the reagent.

The change of direction of the reagent flow with reference to the skins may be effected by providing the chamber with two alternative inlet duct means at two opposite ends of the chamber, and two alternative outlet ducts at the said opposite ends of the chamber, valve means being provided for selectively including one of each of the alternative ducts in a closed circuit, including a pump, for the reagent.

These inlet duct means may be in the form of single ducts, or they may be groups of ducts or injectors, spaced apart, so as to secure a relatively wider distribution of the pressure-flow through the skins. It is preferred, in either case, for there to be only two alternative outlet ducts although, obviously, more could be provided according to the distribution of pressure-flow required. Alternatively, the chamber may have one inlet and one outlet, oppositely arranged, and a reversible pump be employed. Or, again, the chamber may have one inlet and one outlet, and the stack of skins may be rotated so that the relative direction of reagent flow is constantly changed, a non-reversible pump being used in this case. The chamber can be of any suitable shape and the flow of reagent be arranged to take place vertically or horizontally in the chamber.

Preferably, the apparatus embodies a working chamber which is rotatively supported so that different phases of a compound treatment (by which I mean a treatment including a plurality of steps, some of which, possibly, require a different reagent, and others, possibly, consisting of a drying or partial drying of the skins) can be carried out with the chamber stationary, rotat ing relatively-slowly, or rotating at a relativelyhigh speed, as appropriate. The chamber, also, will preferably have inlets and/or outlets, for the reagent and for air. The apparatus will also, preferably, be capable of being heated to a desired temperature, as necessary, under thermostatic control, it will have means for controlling the quantity and pressure of the reagent-flow, and for indicating and recording physical data (such 3 as temperatures; pressures, time-periods) of the treatment.

Thermometers, heaters, and flow-meters, can be provided, as necessary, for the reagent in different positions in the circuit.

Provision is preferably made for charging the aforesaid header tank with alternative reagents through a pipe provided with a stop valve and connected to a chemical mixing chamber. Hot water can be supplied from a cistern, through a stop valve, to the mixing chamber where the reagents can be mixed to the desired concentration. The mixing chamber, the header tank, or both, may be heated.

According to a still further feature of the invention the chamber, for the skins to .be treated, has a resiliently compressible internal bed at one side, and at least a pair of pistons at'another side spaced apart and adapted alternately to act on the skins (either directly or by means of pressure waves set up in the reagent) in conjunction withthesaid bedfor squeezing, releasing, and flexing different parts of the skins so as to cause the reagent to flow intimately into their texture.

Various forms of apparatus, according to the invention, are described below, by way of example, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In these latter:

Figures 1 and 2 show, diagrammatically, a side elevation and plan, respectively, of one form of apparatus, some of the piping being relatively displaced in the-two viewsfor'ease of illustration;

Figure 3 is a part-sectional elevation, to an enlargedsoale, of th skin-containing chamber and other. parts of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and2;

Figure 4 is a side elevation, corresponding to.

Figure l, 'but showing the apparatus encased and with one form of control boardwith which it can.

be provided;

Figures 5 and 6 are, respectively, a section, (taken on the line 55 of Figure 6), and a sectional plan of another form of skin-containing chamber incorporating a modified arrangement for applying-pressure increments to the skins and for relieving the said pressure increments;

Figure 'Z'is a diagram, showing in sectional elevation, another formof the apparatus, various of the components, however, being displaced from their proper positions to facilitate the description of the hydraulic and pneumatic circuits;

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus illustrated. by Figure 7, but showing the components in their intended positions, the section being taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 9;

Figure 9 is a part-sectional plan, corresponding with Figure 8, the portion in. section being taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 10; and

Figure 10is a front elevation of the apparatus illustrated'byFigures '7 to 9, showing the instrumentation and controls.

The apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4 comprises a chamber, generally indicated at 2|, for the skins, a water tank 22, a mixing chamber 23, and a header tank 24 for the reagent. Of these components, which are operatively associated in the manner hereinafter described, the chamber 2! is supported on a pedestal 25, Whilst the others are supported by a pair of horizontal framemembers 26 (one only of which is shown)-the header tank by the brackets 27, the mixing chamberby the staging 28-, 28a, and the tank 22 by the stretchers .29. The frame-members 26 are supported by pairs of uprights; one pair being constituted by downward extensions of the sta ing members 28a and the others being shown at 3|. The aforesaid components, and others to be hereinafter referred to, are arranged compactly, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, and encased as shown in Figure 4, additional frame-members, such as the uprights 32 and horizontals 33 (see Figure 1) being provided for the attachment of the casing panelling 34.

The water tank 22, which ma incorporate any suitable heating means, such as steam coils, but, preferably, an electrical heater (not shown), has an inlet pipe 35 provided with a stop-cock 36, and an outlet pipe 3'! which communicates, through a stop-cock 38, with the mixing chamber.

The mixing chamber is shown as having a closable charging opening 39, a stirrer All to be drivenby an electric motor 4 l, and an outlet pipe 42 to the header tank, the outlet being controllabl by the stop-cock 43. It also has the actuating elements of a quantit meter and of a pH indicator, indicated, respectively, at 44 and 45, which are preferably of a type which will give remote readings on a control panelas hereinafter described.

The header tank 24 has an hermetically-sealing, removable, lid. 45. which may be of any suitablekind but which, as shown, is hinged at 41 to. the tank and provided with a toothed quadrantllS, for coaction with a pinion to be driven by an electric motor 50, for raising the lid to the dotted line position, shown in Figure 1, and for lowering it. The motor is shown as being supported on a bracket 5| secured to the uprights 28a. The header tank is connected to a pump, hereinafter described, for circulating the reagent, by a down-take pipe '52, through a stop-cock 53, and by an up-take pipe 54. It also is provided with an automatic air-lock eliminator, indicated at in Figure 3.

The chamber 21 is provided with a removable, hermetica1lysealing, cover 56, which may be adapted to be opened and closed in any suitable manner, but preferably by a quadrant 51 and pinion 58, driven by an electric motor 59.- The cover 56- has a lower cylindrical portion which registers, whenthe cover is closed, with the inside of a ring fast with the chamber, and a piston-like lower walljfilis guided, in an hermetically-sealing manner, in the said cylindrical portion and.

ring; The wall 6| can be raised'or lowered by a screw 62 and worm gear 63 driven by an electric motor 64- mounted on the cover. When it is desired to open the cover, the wall 6! has first to be withdrawn into the cover, the motors 59 and 64'being electrically interlocked so that the two movements take place in proper sequence. The wall 5| incorporates two rams 65 which can, in the example given, be reciprocated by connecting rods 66 and disc cranks 61, one of these latter being geared to be driven, by electric motor 68- and the other through chain gearing'fifi. (Obviously, however, there may be more than two rams;v and in this case their respective. crank discs can be geared to be driven by the motor 68-.) The rams may work in. unison, but will preferably be out-of-phase. The purpose of'these rams is to produce pulsations in the reagent, and their speed of reciprocation is preferably automatically adjustable to the rate of reagent-flow through. the chamber (hereinafter described) so as to en sure that no cavitation takes place. ber 2|: contains av perforated cylindrical basket lll'which is removably mounted on a central shaft II and provided with. a fine-mesh gauze lining 121-. On the perforated bottom plateof the bas- The cham-- ket is placed a bed 12 of resilient material, such as sponge rubber or air-filled rubber balls, which will react to the pulsations caused by the rams B5. The shaft II extends through an hermetically-sealing gland I3, journal bearings I4, and an oil seal 15, and carries a coupling I6 (which may be of the centrifugal slipping type) to an electric driving motor TI. The shaft is located by a thrust bearing 14a.

A sealing ring 78 of the wall 6|, when the latter is in its lowered position, makes hermetical.

sealing contact with the upper end of the basket I0, which end is flanged inwardly ior'this purpose, and aXially-arrangedbafiles I22 (see Figure 6) are preferably disposed between the basket and the wall of the chamber so as to prevent shortcircuiting of the reagent.

The

pipes

52 and 54 connect the top and bottom of the header tank, through stop-cocks l9 and BI] respectively, to a reversible, variable-quantity, pressure pump 8i which may be of the type which has plungers operated by eccentrics mounted on a driven shaft, or of other suitable type. The pump is to be driven by an electric motor 82. The quantity and pressure of the pump output can be governed, by an electric relay, from the control panel. The pipe 52 is connected to the chamber 2! through a reducing valve 83, and the chamber is also connected, by

pipes

84 and 85, to the pump BI, through stop-

cocks

85, 81, respectively. The

pipes

84 and 85 are also connected to pipes H0, III, respectively, leading to opposite sides of the chamber 2!. The reagentflow circuit is hermetically sealed throughout and all air or other gases are removed by the automatic air-lock eliminator 55 of the header tank.

During some one or other of the treatments, the reagent in chamber 2I may be absorbed by the skins, and valves are arranged so that the said chamber wil1 always be full. These valves comprise a float valve 88, the reducing valve 83 (which is to be set to maintain the desired pressure in chamber 2i), a safety valve 89 to return excess pressure to the header tank 24 through the

pipes

98 and 54, and an overflow valve BI which leads to a filter hereinafter described. With stop valves I9 and 813 closed the header tank is isolated from the pump, and with the latter working a constant circulation of reagent through chamber 2! is obtained. By reversing the pump the direction of circulation can be reversed. A drain-cock 92 is fitted to the bottom of the chamber 2| and is connected by a pipe 93 to a combined reagent-filter and fatseparator 94, a pipe 95, leading from the overflow valve 9|, joining the pipe 93 at 95. The separator is connected by a pipe 91 to an exhauster 98, to be driven by an electric motor H5, for expelling intoxicated air, and by a pipe 99 to a pump I00, to be driven by an electric motor IIB, for returning filtered and purified reagent to the header tank through the pipe IBI and stop-cock I02.

An air compressor I93, which is arranged so as also to function as a vacuum pump, is driven by an electric motor I25, and the discharge pipe N5 of the compressor is connected through pipes I65 and H37, with stop valves I 68 and I29, respectively, to the inlets IIG, III, of the chamber 2i. An air relief valve H2 is fitted in the wall SI of the cover 55 and the latter has air escape holes, one of which is shown at I I3 in Figure 3. The intake for the compressor has a filter I I4. Alternatively, an external source of compressed air could be used.

By setting the various stop-cocks, as follows; the following conditions can be obtained:

(a) All stop-cocks closed.Chamber 2| shut off completely from reagent and air.

(b) Stop-cocks 86 and 8'! open-Flow of reagent only through the chamber from left to right, or from right to left, according to the direction in which the pump 8I is set to operate.

(0) Stop-cock I 28 or I09 open.Flow of air only from right to left, or left to right, respectively.

(d) Stop-cocks 86 and I69 open.-Flow of reagent combined with compressed agitatin air from left to right.

(e) Stop-cocks El and I68 open-Flow of reagent combined with compressed agitating air from right to left.

(1) Stop-cock I08 or I09 open and compressor I63 acting as a vacuum pump.Maintenance of vacuum in chamber 2 I.

Remote indicating and recording flow meters i ll, of Venturi type or the like, are fitted in

flow pipes

52, 54, ME), and III to and from chamber 2i, and thermostatically-controlled heating elements IE8 (which may be electrically or steamoperated) are provided for the said pipes and in air pipes Hit, Nil, so that the circulating reagent, or air, or both, can be raised to the desired temperature. The circulating pipes HI I II where they enter the chamber 2i, may be bell-mouthed or flared, as shown, or, alternatively, they may be divided into a number of multiple jets. Actuating elements, for remote reading quantity and pH indicators dd, 25, similar to those of the mixing chamber are provided for the header tank, and a pH indicator is provided for the chamber 2i, the quantity meters preferably being of the type having floats for making contact on electrical resistances; Sockets H9 and I 29 for remote reading thermometers and remote reading pressure indicaters, respectively, are fitted in the chamber 2! and the header tank 24. The transmission for all of these instruments to the control panel is electrical.

All of the electric motors embodied in the apparatus are arranged for alternative automatic remote control through a master time switch I23, or hand control through remote push buttons I25, these switches being on the control panel-see Figure 4. The opening and closing of all stopcocks can also be effected automatically through the master time switch I23, or hand remote control through separate switch levers I25 fitted with indicators.

Remote-control thermostatic regulators I26, for the various heaters are provided on the control panel, and these may work on the principle of differential expansion, or the like, operating relays which control mercury-tube switches governing the electrical energy input to the heaters 5!, these regulators incorporating thermometers for indicating and recording the temperatures due to the heaters.

The panel also has indicating and recording thermometers I2l to give an independent check of the temperatures in the chamber 2i and the header tank 26. Indicating and recordin flow meters I28 (connected to the flow meters Ill) and indicating and recording pressure gauges I29 (connected to the chamber 2i and the header tank 24, respectively) are provided on the panel. The latter also has quantity meters I36 and pH meters I3I, connected to the

actuating elements

44, 45, respectively, of the mixing and header tanks and the chamber 2!, as appropriate.

The electric motors TI and 82 (for driving the basket and the reagent pump, respectively) preferably incorporate tachometers I32, which have remote-reading dials I33 on the panel.

All of the meters on the panel can be of any suitable known type.

The chamber El and the header tank may have inspection windows I34 and means for giving an audible warning when the fluid level is too low.

The master time switch I23 is geared to close and open electrical circuits in a predetermined sequence, and at predetermined intervals, so as to operate the electric motor starters and the stop-cocks (through electrical relays where necessary), and also to supply current to the heater elements H8 and a heater for the water tank 22 if required. The master time switch contactmakers are adjustable to enable the timing and order of the cycle of operations to be varied, so that, for instance, the chamber 2i could be exhausted, the skins could then be treated, for different purposes, by say, three diiferent reagents, each such treatment being preceded by a washing step, the basket being retained stationary, or rotated slowly, and the direction of reagent flow through the chamber being maintained in one direction, or reversed, as requisite or desirable. The skins could then be centrifuged, by rotating the basket at a relativelyhigh speed, and finally air dried.

The basket can be provided with hooks, or the like (not shown), so as to enable it to be lifted out of the chamber 2i, by a crane, to facilitate charging it with skins and removing them.

As an alternative to circulating the reagent and air as above described, the respective pipes could be connected to the bottom and top of the chamber 2! so that the fiow is vertical, in which case the upper pipe for the reagent would pass through the cover 56 and be flexible. With such a construction and as shown in Figures and 6, the reciprocating rams 65a would be arranged horizontally and be operated by crank discs Iiia, vertical shafts I35 and pinions I36 (one only of which latter is shown), and the pinions would engage with a ring gear [3]. The ring gear is driven by a pinion J38 on the shaft of an electric motor I35 the speed of the motor being capable of adjustment to give the required conditions.

-It may, in some instances, be decided to carry out certain treatments with the cover 36 open, and the float valve 88 and overflow 9.! will-allow this to be done.

Referring now to the apparatus illustrated by Figures 7 to there is a stationary cylindrical outer tank I68 and a rotary inner cylindrical basket-like tank Iii into which latter the skins are to be placed in a stack. The tank MI has an annular rubber cushion I62 (filled with air or springs), at the bottom, surrounding a central platen I 33, and the cushion and platen are covered by a soft rubber sheet M4. The tank Hi can be rotated, through a, worm-wheel I46 and worm I41, by an electric motor Hi8 which can drive the worm through either of two alternative gear pairs I49 and IE9, or vNil and I52, contained in a gear boX I53, so as either to drive the tank slowly or quickly. The platen I53 has an e 1 shaft I55 carrying, at the bottom, a cam disc which can coact with a. cam track fast with the stationary tank Mt so that, as the tank i ii r0- tates, the platen will be reciprocated vertically. The worm-wheel is fast with the hollow shaft 2M, which, in turn, is fast with the bottom of the tank MI, and the shaft I54 is splined, or

otherwise relatively-non-rotatably but slida'bl'y held in the shaft 201.

The tank I4I has a removable lid I56 carrying two or more rams I51 which are preferably covcred-with soft rubber and which are spring-biased into their upward positions. The tank I40 has a lid .I5-8 hinged to it at I59 and provided with clamping devices I60 to hold it closed in an hermetically-sealing manner. The lid l58' has a pair of annular cams I6 I into contact with which the pairs of supporting stems I62 of the rams I 51 are urged by their springs. Thus, during rotation of the tank I4I the rams I 5''! are reciprocated and, together with the cushion I42 and the platen, cause vertical pulsations and flexing of the skins so as to promote intimate contact with the latter, of the reagent being used.

The lid I58 is provided with a cable I63 which is passed over a pulley I64 and secured to a winding handle I55 for raising and lowering the lid.

Beneath the tanks I40 and MI is a transfer tank I66, and this last-mentioned tank communicates with the tank I41 through the passage I61, the tank I i I, in turn, communicating with a bulge H38 in the tank ME.

A header tank I69, provided with a charging opening III) for the reagent, with a water supply pipe I 93 having a stop-cock I94 and controlled by a float-operated valve H5, and internally heated as by steam pipes, I'II, communicates, through a stop-cock I72 and pipe I13, with the tank I65, which latter may be provided with a thermostatically-controlled heating element I14 to maintain, or adjust, the temperature of the reagent.

The steam coil I'II is fed from a supply pipe I88 having a stop-cock IE9 and a valve I90, the amount of opening of the latter being subject to control by the thermostat I9 I.

The tank I68, into which the reagent from the tank MI also flows, discharges through a pipe I15 and coarse and fine filters I18, I11, respectively, to the intake of a pump I18. This pump is of any suitable type and is driven by an electric motor I79. The pump delivery pipe I includes a three-way valve I8I which can, according to its setting, interrupt the circuit, deliver reagent through the pipe I82 to the aforesaid bulge I68 so as to cause a pressure flow through the stack of skins, or deliver used reagent through the pipe I83 to a sewer or diluting tank, not shown.

A compressor-exhauster I84-driven byan electric motor I 92 and having its compressor side delivery, say, at the left of Figure 7, and its eX- hauster side intake at the right of that figure, communicates alternatively, through one of two two-way valves I 85, I8Ei, with a pipe I 81 leading to the aforesaid bulge I68. A stop-cock 30 is provided between the connections of the opposite SIiBdTes of the compressor-exhausterto the pipe According to the setting of the valves I85 and I86, reagentcan be induced from the header tank I69 into the tanks I49, MI, and I66 or, with the valve I8I suitably adjusted, compressed air can be delivered to the tanks I 49, Idl, and I66 for clearing the reagent from the system and passing it intothe sewer or diluting tank. The stop-cock I12 and'the valves I81, I85, and I 86 are preferably electro-magnetically operated, and, togethe with the heaters, the pump, and the compressor-exhauster, are subject to control by a time-switch and, separately, by individual manually operated switches, These switches (which are not shown) can conveniently be on a control panel mounted on the front of the header tank. On this panel are also the indicating and recording portions I96 of thermometers the temperature-sensitive portions of which are disposed where necessary or desirable, one or more pH indicators I91, reagent flow-meters I98, and a process indicator I99. The header tank and the tank I40 are preferably provided with liquid-level indicators 290.

In operation, when the tank MI has been filled with skins, the lids I56 and I58 are closed, and the tank I4I caused to revolve at slow speed. The compressor-exhauster exhausts air from the tanks I40, MI and I66, and the lid I58 is then tightened down by means of clamps I60. When the header tank has been filled with water, to which any necessary chemicals have been added, and has reached the process temperature, the valve I12 is opened to allow its contents to flow into tanks I66, MI and M9. The valve I12 is then closed, and the header tank refilled ready for next process-step. The pump I18 is then started up and forces the reagent into the bulge I68 and through the tank I4I. The reagent is thus forced between the skins (which are pulsating, flexing, and revolving with the tank) in intimate contact, the reagent then passing through the ports I61 into the tank I66 for further circulation. On the completion of each process-step, the three-Way valve I8I is opened to sewer or diluting tank, the pump I13 is stopped, and the compressor-exhauster caused to eject all of the reagent from tanks I40, MI and IE6 to the sewer or diluting tank. The tank MI is now driven at high speed and the reagent wetting the skins centrifuged away, thus partly drying the skins. After the removal of the reagent has been completed, the compressed air valve I85 is returned to normal, and the compressor-exhauster caused to exhaust all air from the system preparatory to carrying out the next 'process-step, if any.

In carrying out a complete treatment, the individual processes, such as cleaning, washing, dyeing, water-proofing, etc., are carried out in the desired order, it being only necessary for the operator to add the essential chemicals into the header tank I69 as indicated on the process indicator I99. All fumes and gases are removed from the apparatus on ejection of the reagents, thus safeguarding the operator's health and givin healthier working conditions. The skins can be finished in an almost dry condition and require very little drying.

In a modified form of the apparatus of Figures '1 to 10, the basket-like tank MI is not rotatable and the pump I18 and the compressor-exhauster I84 are either made reversible or connected to the said tank through reversing-valve means so as to enable the direction of reagent flow and air flow through the tank to be reversed. In this case the rams I51 would be driven by an independent mechanism such, for instance, as by a mechanism similar to that described with reference to Figure 3. All parts of the apparatus which come into contact with the reagent may be made of appropriate corrosion-resistive metal, or of metal protected by enamelling, plating or a covering of rubber, ebonite or other suitable sub- 7 stance, as appropriate.

prising a chamber in which the skins are to be placed in a stack, a header tank for a reagent to be used in the treatment, means for propelling the reagent through the chamber in a direction from edge to edge of the skins in the stack, means for controlling said propelling means to vary the speed and pressure of the reagent flow, means for relatively presenting different portions of the peripheries of the skins in the stack to the reagent at entry to the chamber, means for producing pressure increments on difierent areas of the skins in a direction generally normal to the surfaces thereof thereby to continuously flex the skins, valve means for controlling the flow of the reagent, and thermostatically-controlled heating means for the reagent.

2. Apparatus, for use in treating skins, comprising a chamber in which the skins-are to be placed in a stack, a header tank for a reagent to be used in the treatment, means included in a closed circuit for propelling the reagentthrough the chamber in a direction from edge to edge of the skins in the stack, means for controlling said propelling means to vary the speed and pressure of the reagent flow, means for reversing the direction of reagentflow through said chamber so that different portions of the peripheries of the skins in the stack are presented to the reagent at entry to the chamber, means for producing pressure increments on different areas of the skins in a direction generally normal to the surfaces thereof thereby to continuously flex the skins, valve means for controlling the flow of the reagent, and thermostatically-controlled heating means for the reagent.

3. Apparatus, for use in treating skins, comprising a chamber, a rotary basket in said chamber in which the skins are to be placed in a stack, a header tank for a reagent to be used in the treatment, means for propelling the reagent through the chamber in a direction from edge to edge of the skins in the stack, means for controlling said propelling means to vary the speed and pressure of the reagent flow, means for rotating said basket so that different portions of the peripheries of the skins in the stack are presented to the reagent at entry to the chamber, means for producing pressure increments on different areas of the skins in a direction gen erally normal to the surfaces thereof thereby to continuously flex the skins, valve means for controlling the flow of the reagent, and thermostatically-controlled heating means for the re-- agent.

4. Apparatus, for use in treating skins, comprising a chamber in which the skins are to be placed in a stack, a header tank for a reagent to be used in the treatment, means for propelling the reagent through the chamber in a direction from edge to edge of the skins in the stack, means for controlling said propelling means to vary the speed and pressure of the reagent flow, means for relatively presenting different portions of the peripheries of the skins in the stack to the reagent at entry to the chamber, a plurality of reciprocatory rams in one wall of said chamber, a resiliently compressible and expansible bed at an opposite wall of said chamber, means for reciprocating said rams so that said rams and said bed conjointly apply pressure increments to and relieve the pressure increments from different areas of the skins in a direction generally normal to the surfaces thereof thereby ,to continuously flex the skins, valve means for controlling the flow of the reagent, and thermostatically-controlled heating means for the reagent.

5. Apparatus, according to claim 1, incorporating a compressor-exhauster and valve means whereby air can be delivered under pressure to, or withdrawn from, the chamber at either of the connections of the latter to the reagent-circulatingsystem.

6. Apparatus, for use in treating skins, comprising a chamber in which the skins are to be placed in a tack, a header tank for a reagent to be used in the treatment, means for propelling the reagent through the chamber in a direction from edge to edge of the skins in the stack, means for controlling said propelling means to vary the speed and pressure of the reagent flow, means for relatively presenting difierent portions of the peripheries of the skins in the stack to the reagent at entry to the chamber, means for producing pressure increments on difierent areas of the skins in a direction generally normal to the surfaces thereof thereby to continuously flex the skins, valve means for controlling the flow of the reagent, thermostatically-controlled heating means for the reagent, electric-magnetically actuable means, respectively, for controlling said reagent propelling means, the means for relatively presenting different portions of the peripheries of the skins to the entering reagent, the pressure increment producing means, and the valve means, and an electric master timercontrolled unit for controlling said electro-magnetically actuable means in timed sequential relationship.

'7. Apparatus, for use in treating sln'ns, comprising a chamber in which the skins are to be placed in a stack, a header tank for a reagent to be used in the treatment, a reagent inlet, comprising a plurality of spaced ducts, for said chamber, a reagent outlet for said chamber, means for propelling the reagent through the chamber in a direction from edge to edge of the skins in the stack, means for controlling said propelling means to vary the speed and pressure of the re.- agent flow, said spaced inlet ducts distributing the flow of reagent relatively widely across said chamber, means for relatively presenting different portions of the peripheries of the skins in the stack to the reagent at entry to the chamber,

means for producing pressure increments on difierent areas of the skins in a direction generally normal to the surfaces thereof to flex the skins, valve means for controlling the flow of the reagent, and thermostatically-controlled heating means for the reagent.

PAUL POSER.