US29649A - flanders - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT fFFIOE.

J. F. FLANDERS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND E. Gr. ALLEN,

OF SAME PLACE. Y

LEATHER-SPLITTING MACHINE.

Specication of LettersV Patent No. 29,649, dated August 14, 1860.

To all fwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. F. FLANDERS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leather-Splitting Machines, and that the following description, taken in connection wit-li the accompanying drawings, hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact specification of my said improvements by which my invention may be distinguished from all others of a similar class, together with such parts as I claim and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent.

The figures of the accompanying plate of drawings represent my improvements.

Figure l is a plan or top view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a central transverse vertical section. Figs. at and 5 are detail views to be hereinafter referred to.

In machines for splitting leather, &.c., it has been found extremely difficult on account of the varying thicknesses of the hide to cut or split the grain of uniform thickness throughout, the tendency to form an irregular cut being increased by the weight of the split which drags the leather downward from the knife.

The essential feature of my invention consists in a novel arrangement of devices whereby these objections are entirely obviated, the uniformity of the thickness of the grain being invariably secured whatever may be the inequalities of the leather to be split. The desired result is effected by the use of a sectional roll consisting of rings hung loosely upon a shaft immediately under the leather and made to have an upward bearing thereon by means of an indiarubber roll or other suitable elastic bearing that presses upward against the rings. This arrangement constitutes in effect an elastic bearing to the leather consisting of a series of separate and independent springs that possess all the necessary elastic force and yet are remarkably free to play, much more so than any ordinary arrangement of springs thereby affording a yielding and elastic bearing to every inequality or indentation of the leather and one that is peculiarly sensitive thereto.

Another important feature of the present invention consists in an arrangement of devices whereby the leather whatever its shape or condition is presented perfectly straight to the knife or cutter. This is very essential to the successful operation of the machine as the flanks, shanks and the thinner portions of a hide from being 'longer than the others necessarily get cockled up and it is important that these wrinkles should be first drawn out otherwise the leather will not be fed in a straight line to the knife. To control and guide the leather so that `it shall be properly carried to the knife I use a brake apparatus that binds and holds the thick portions of the hide and allows the thin portions to pass freely until the wrinkles are drawn out by the action of the feeding rolls.

Having thus described the .general features of my invention I will next proceed to describe the manner in which they can be practically carried out.

a a a a in the drawings represent the supporting framework of a leather-splitting machine. The knife or cutter may consist of an endless belt or band Z; b formed of any thin suitable metal. This belt is supported and revolved by two pulleys c, d, the pulley Z receiving its motion from the driving shaft through the gears e and The rear edge of the knife rests against flanges on the pulleys c and d. The knife b is kept in true position both horizontally and vertically by an upper and lower guide g-L. These guides may be made adjustable. The knife b b is kept constantly sharp by two revolving wheels /c one bearing upon the upper and the other upon the under edge of the knife and revolved by belts Z, m on a pulley n rotated by bevel gears 0, p.

g-Q is the leather fed in between the rolls r r fastened together and operated so as to bring any desired pressure or bite upon the leather by means of a treadle s 8. By this means the brake will bear upon and hold back the thick portions of the leather until the wrinkled or thin parts have been drawn smooth, thereby presenting the leather straight to the knife.

z5 t is a small gage-roll that bears upon the upper surface of the leather as shown. rlhis roll is driven through the gears u, o, w, y. It is important that the gage-roll should be of small diameter in order to firmly hold the leather close to the cutting edge of the knife and in order to prevent Y the action of the rubber roll ZZ upon this roll from springing as from its small size, it is very liable to do, I place over it a larger roll a Which bears down upon the gage-roll and keeps it in place. Upon. the under side of the leather is a sectional roll consisting of a series of separate and independent rings 5 &c., of considerable larger inside diameter than the shaft c upon Which they are hung. The sectional rings rest upon a rubber roll d that is revolved through the gears u', v, fw', ai y, z. Ily t e rings b b, Sac., it will be seen that every portion of the hide Whatever may be its thickness or irregularity Will be uniformly pressed and kept up against the gage-roll. By this means the uniformity of the thickness ofthe grain is effectually secured.

e and f are bars one laced before and the other behind the sectional rings and so placed and formed as to limit the lateral and upward motion of the rings b, Zi', &c., but they are left free to be pressed down, by the action of the leather, upon the elastic roll. Although the sectional roll may be placed directly over the elastic roll, I prefer to place it a little on one side of the vertical aXis thereof, as When placed directly in the same Vertical line the rings by the motion of the rubber roll have a tendency to crowd back and then to snap forcibly back against the leather Which prevents the cut from being uniform. The elastic roll may be made adjustable With regard to its position With the rings.

It Will be seen that there are variety of modes in Which an elastic bearing can be 0btained for the rings of the sectional roll, thus, as shovvn in Fig. 5, the rings instead of bearing upon the rubber roll, may bear upon an endless elastic apron or belt running around pulleys g, g. y

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim as my invention and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent isd l. The arrangement of sectional rollers for the direct or immediate support of the hide or leather as the delivery of the same to the edge of the circulating knife, in combination With a roller located beloW the sectional roller and constructed as described With elastic surface and Xed bearings.

2. Placing the sectional roll to one side of the vertical axis of the elastic roll as described.

3. Holding the leather and controlling its progress While passing through the machine by means of a brake operating substantially as described.

J. F. FLANDERS.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH GAVETT, A. WV. BROWN.

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