US874882A - Process of stuffing leather and apparatus therefor. - Google Patents

Description

No. 874,882. PATENTBD'DBG. 24, 1907.

8.8BARH0PB.

PROCESS 0F STUPFING LEATHER AND APPARATUS THEREPOR.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 14,1905.

w umlllllnll Suva/whoa George Beal-hope THE Namls PETERS ca., wnsnmnrqn. n. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

GEORGE BEARI-IOIE, OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM A.

MOONEY AND ONE-THIRD 'IO THOMAS MOONEY, BOTH OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA.

PROCESS OF STUFFING-LATHER AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1907.

Application filed July 14,1905. Serial No. 269,718.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE BEARHOPE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Bartholomew and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of StuHing Leather and Apparatus rIherefor, of which the following is a specification.

At a certain stage in the manufacture of certain varieties of leather it is subjected to a process known as stufling. That is, it is impregnated with someone of a variety of preparations, of which grease or tallow is a leading ingredient. Some of the best of these preparations are quite hard, and only melt to the consistency best adapted for application to the leather when subjected to a comparatively high degree of heat. In the processes commonly used it has been difficult to utilize the degree of heat necessary to the best results so far as the stufling preparation is concerned. without endangering the quality of the leather, as heat has a tendency to destroy the strength of the fibers when in the ordinary condition at which the stuffing has heretofore been performed. In other words, there has been a constant contest between securing efficiency of stufling conditions and the danger of impairing the strength of the leather by heat while doing the work.

I have discovered that by carefully evaporating all the moisture from theleather when it has reached the stage for stufling I am enabled to utilize a materially higher degree of heat than has heretofore been found to be safe, and by my improved apparatus and process (as will be hereinafter described) I am able to apply the stuffing preparation or mixture also at a much higher degree of heat, so that it will thoroughly permeate the leather with the result that I have a much evener and better product. Vith the stuing prep aration heated to the desired degree, and thus reduced to the proper consistency, I am also able to exercise a considerable economy in its use. 'f'hat is, it takes a less quantity to accomplish the desired result than has heretofore been employed, and there is less waste.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating (ina conventional way) the apparatus which I employ in carrying out my invention.

I first take the leather after it has been subjected to the proper preparatory treatment and suspend it in a drying chamber. Here I subject it to the action of heat until all moisture is thoroughly evaporated, so the leather is completely dried. When thoroughly dry, the leather will Without injury endure a considerably higher degree of heat than it will when moist. I prepare the stuffing mixture by first melting it in a suitable tank, as 21. I then convey it into a compression tank, as 22. To said compression tank I connect an air compressor, as 23, so as to secure the necessary amount of pressure therein. To this compression tank I secure a suitable hose, as 24, having a spray nozzle, as 25. I .then provide a suitable table, the surface 26 of which is preferably formed of coarse wire cloth, on which to lay the dried and heated leather. I now take the leather from the chamber in which it has been heated and the moisture evaporated therefrom, and while still dry and hot place it upon the table. I then apply the stuffing mixture thereto through the spray nozzle. The leather and the mixture both being hot, the latter will penetrate the former readily, and I, therefore, spray said mixture against the leather on one side until it appears on the other, so that the fibers thereof are thoroughly permeated with said mixture. In its heated liquid condition, any surplus stufling mixture will run off down through the reticulated table top, and be caught by a suitable drip tank, as 27, beneath, from whence it can be run off to any suitable receptacle and thence taken back to the melting tank and reused. After the leather has been thus treated it should be immersed in cold water and allowed to remain about one day, when it will be found to be soft and pliable, and of an excellent quality. The subsequent treatment should be the same as that to which leather is usually subjected in finishing.

I-Iaving thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

l. An apparatus for stuffing leather consisting of a melting tank, a compression tank, means whereby pressure is generated within said tank, a hose connected to said tank, a spray nozzle on said hose, and a perforatedtopped table on which to place the hides while the mixture isbeing applied from said nozzle. I

2. An apparatus for stufiing leather consisting of a melting tank, a compression tank,

means whereby pressure is generated Within this tenth day of July, A. D. one thousand said tank, a hose connected to said tank, a nine hundred and five.

nozzle on said hose, and a suitable table on i Which to place the hides While the mixture is GEORGE BEARHOPE' [L S'] 5 being applied from said nozzle. Witnesses:

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set CHESTER BRADFORD,

rny hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, JAMES A. VALSH.

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