US3059461A - Method and apparatus for putting-out hides and skins - Google Patents

Description

I Oct. 23, 1962 H. E. DAMON, JR., ETAL 3,059,451

METHOD AND APPARATUS FQR PUTTING-OUT HIDES AND SKINS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1960 Oct. 23, 1962 H. E. DAMON, JR, ETAL 3,059,461

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PUTTING-OUT HIDES AND SKINS Filed May 13, 1960 r-mn g #5 If 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ali . M I M H. E. DAMON, JR, ET AL Odt. 23, 1962 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PUTTING-OUT HIDES AND SKINS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 13, 1960 Oct. 23, 1962 H. E. DAMON, JR., ET AL 3,059,461

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PUTTING-OUT HIDES AND SKINS Filed May 13, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet'4 M by //z Oct. 23, 1962 3,059,461

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PUTTING-OUT HIDES AND SKINS H. E. DAMON, JR., ETAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 13, 1960 ttes This invention relates to the tanning of leather and pertains more specifically to a method and apparatus for putting-out or slicking wet hides and skins, after tanning and washing, on smooth-faced drying panels.

During the manufacture of leather, the wet hides and skins, after tanning and washing, must be dried under tension in order to produce a material free from objectionable wrinkles and from excessive variation in gauge. For many years the drying procedure most wide- 'ly used has involved applying a layer of wet paste to a smooth flat hard surface of glass, highly polished metal, or the like, then spreading and stretching the wet hide on this surface manually with the grain side next to the smooth face of the panel, and allowing the hide to dry in position on the panel in suitable drying ovens, after which the hide is stripped and subjected to further processing. The foregoing procedure has not been entirely satisfactory because even when highly skilled workers carry out this procedure, it is impossible to obtain completely uniform results both because of variations in technique from one worker to another in spreading the hide on the panel and because the technique of an individual worker varies as he becomes fatigued. Consequent-1y, the gauge of the hide and the extent of stretching of the hide may vary from one area to another. In addition, more water may be removed from one portion of the hide than another by the worker during this procedure, leading to uneven drying in the oven.

One object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for effecting greater, more extensive stretching of the wet hides and skins in order to obtain a greater footage yield of leather.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for effecting a more uniform smoothing and stretching of wet hides and skins while being put-out on drying panels and for providing a greater flattening effect in order to minimize imperfections such as neck wrinkles in the grain side of the leather, resulting in an up-grading of the leather product.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for subjecting wet hides and skins to the spreading, stretching and smoothing action of a rapidly reciprocating pasting blade.

Still another object is to provide a method and apparatus for removing additional water from the hides during the putting-out operation, thus accelerating the drying and making it more uniform.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the drawing and from the description which follows.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in rear elevation;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a View in vertical section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3

FIG. 5 is a view partly in vertical section taken along line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a View, partly schematic and partly in section,

showing the piping and valve arrangement for pneumatic actuation of the apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a view in section taken along line 3-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view in rear elevation, partly broken away, showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a view, partly in section, taken along line 1iiiii of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a view, partly broken away and in section, similar to FIG; 4 showing another embodiment of the mounting of the putting-out blade.

As best appears in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is provided a conveyor track in the form of a T- beam it from which is suspended by means of yoke 12 and rollers 14 a drying panel 16 having a reinforcing margin 17. The panel may be of any conventional construction such as glass, stainless steel, etc. The bottom margin of the panel is led between a pair of fixed guides 18, 18 which serve to maintain the panel in approximately vertical position despite lateral pressure applied to either side of the panel. Both of the opposite faces of panel 16 are smooth and highly polished, and both are adapted to receive and support a Wet hide 20 which is loosely adhered to the face of the panel by means of a layer of wet paste. For the sake of simplicity, the method and apparatus of the present invention will be described only for use on one face of the panel, but it will be understood that in actual commercial practice the machine and method of the present invention may be applied to both faces of each panel.

The panels 16 are continuously advanced along track 10 by any suitable means (not shown) which pushes each panel against the one ahead of it on the conveyor track.

Mounted beside the path of the advancing panels and extending transversely thereof at a smoothing and stretching station are a pair of spaced- apart rails 22, 22 supported by brackets 24, 24. Slidably mounted on rails 22, 22 by means of collars 26, 26 is .a platform 28. Piston rod 36 of pneumatic cylinder 32 is connected to platform 28 by means of lug 34. Adjustable stops 36, 36 serve to limit the sliding movement of platform 28 on rails 22, 22 so as to maintain the platform in the desired position. Mounted on platform 28 and extending vertically upwardly from it are six tracks 40, 40 in the form of T-beams, the tracks being connected at their upper ends by means of a suitable frame 42 which maintains the tracks in their proper relatively spaced position. Mounted between opposing pairs of tracks for vertical movement on rollers 44, 44 are carriers 46, 58. Carrier 46 is linked through connecting rod 50 to the piston of pneumatic cylinder 52 which is mounted on platform 28, while carrier 48 is linked by means of connecting rod 54 to the piston of pneumatic cylinder 56 mounted on frame 42. Fixed to each carrier is a laterally extending bracket 58, 60 on which a holder 62, 64 is pivotally mounted by means of a suitable pin 66 (see FIG. 4). The lower free end 76 of holder 62 is pivotally connected to pull rod 72 which passes freely through an aperture in bracket 74 secured to carrier 48. A compression spring 76 surrounds pull rod 72, extending between bracket 74 and an adjustable nut 78 threaded on the end of pull rod 72. Compression spring 76 yieldably urges holder 62 to rotate in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4.

Similarly, a pull rod 82 connected to the free end 84 of holder 64 is urged by compression spring 86 to rotate holder 64 in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in FIG. '1. Adjustable stop bolts 88, 90 limit the extent of rotation of each holder 62, 64 in response to the compression spring.

Mounted in each holder 62, 64 is a conventional pneumatic or air hammer 92, 94 each of which carries a con- 3,059,461 I V a ventional putting-out blade 1%, 162. i The putting-out blade is preferably a sheet of resin-impregnated fiber or fiberboard approximately /s to 1 inch thick having a blunt or dull rounded operating edge which is adapted to be rubbed against and to engage frictionally the surface of a wet hide or skin without cutting it. Each blade is mounted to form an acute angle with the surface of panel 16, blade 180 converging upwardly with the panel, and blade 102 converging with the panel in the opposite direction. The angle between each blade and the face of the panel may vary from 10 to as much as 65 or even more. The pneumatic hammer is of a conventional type which provides a rapid reciprocation of the blade in its own plane toward and away from drying panel 16, the reciprocation thus being in a path which is convergent with the face of panel 16 at an acute angle thereto. The amplitude of reciprocation of each blade is approximately to inch and the rate of reciprocation is approximately to 50 cycles per second.

- Mounted on each carrier 46, 48 is a pneumatic cylinder 21-8, 224 each carrying a piston 220, 226 in position to engage the free ends of holders 64, 62 and move them against the compression of springs 86, 76 to swing the blades 102, 100 away from the surface of panel 16 and of hide 20.

Means are provided for controlling pneumatically the extent of vertical travel of carrier 48 (FIG. 2) with its associated putting-out blade 180 in the form of a fixed air relief valve 118 mounted on supporting rod 112 which in turn is adjustably fixed to bracket 114 mounted on frame42. Air relief valve 116 (see KG. 6) consists simply of a spring-loaded valve normally urged to closed position having'a projecting valve stem 116 which serves to open valve 110 when subjected to pressure on its free end 1 18, An abutment 128, in position to engage the end 118 of valve stem 116 as carrier 48 rises, is slidably mounted in collar 122 fixed to an arm 124 (FIG. 2) extending from carrier 48. A compression spring 126 serves to urge abutment 128 to the left as seen in FIG. 6, collar 128 serving to limit the movement of abutment 120 while spline 130 maintains the elongated abutment in proper vertical alignment with valve stem 116. The ends of abutment 12.0 are rounded to permit smooth engagement of the abutment with the projecting end 118 of valve stem 116 as carrier 48 moves vertically on its tracks. Opening of pressure relief valve 110 when abutment 1241 engages the end 118 of valve stem 116 serves to control pneumatic piston 56, as will be hereinafter described, to terminate the upward movement of carrier 48.

The extent of downward movement of carrier 48 is similarly controlled by pressure relief valve 132 mounted on rod 134 in position to engage abutment 136, which in turn is secured to bracket 138 extending upwardly from carrier 48. Rod 134 carries a second pressure relief valve 140 which extends in position to engage an abutment 142 mounted on carrier 46 which serves to limit the extent of upward movement of carrier 46. Rod 134 is mounted for vertical sliding movement through collar 143 secured to frame 42, being linked through connecting rod 144 to the piston of pneumatic cylinder 146 which is secured to platform 28.

In like manner a pressure relief valve 150 is mounted on rod 152 which in turn is mounted for sliding movement through bracket 153 secured to track 48, being actuated by connecting rod 154 which serves to connect it to the piston of pneumatic cylinder 156 mounted on frame 42. Pressure relief valve 150 is in position to be engaged by abutment .158 secured to carrier 46 to limit its downward movement.

The actuating and control means for the machine, as shown in FIG. 7 of the drawing, includes a supply of air,

steam, or other pressure fluid controlled by foot valve' 170. When valve 170 is opened, the pressure fluid is admitted to slide valves 172, 174. When the slides '176, 178 of these valves are in the position sho in the pressure fluid is admitted past slides 176, 178 into conduits 180, 182 and cylinders 52, 56 serving to move carriers 46 and 48 upwardly. Valve members 179', 181 prevent the fluid from entering passageways 184, 186, 188 or 190. Restricted passageways 177, 177 extending axially through slides 176, 178 provide a leakage path through which fluid pressure is transmitted to opposite ends of slides 176, 178. The movement of the two carriers continues until relief valve 110 is opened by contact with the abutment 120, and valve 140 is opened by contact with abutment 142. This vents the right-hand end of each slide valve 172, 174 to the atmosphere, and because passageway 177 is restricted, the pressure at that end of each slide 176, 178 drops, permitting the slides to be urged to the right by the fluid pressure existing at the left-hand end. This shifts valves 179, 181 connecting the lower end of each cylinder 52, 56 to the vent opening 184, 186 and connecting the upper end of each cylinder 52, 56 with the source of fluid pressure through conduits 188, 190. Thereupon each carrier 46, 48 is moved downwardly (relief valves and closing) until relief valves 132 and are opened by contact with their respective abutments 136, 158, at which point slides 176, 178 are moved to the left again (the pressure at the right-hand end of each valve having meanwhile been restored through restricted passageway 177) and the operation is repeated. Slide valves 172 and 17 4 are conventional valves well known in the art.

The vertical position of the relief valves 13-2, 148 is controlled by means of a hand-actuated valve 182 which serves to admit pressure fluid through conduits 194, 195 to cylinder 146 while the vertical position of relief valve 150 is in turn controlled by hand-actuated valve 196 controlling the admission of pressure fluid through conduits 198, 199 to cylinder 156.

At the same time that pressure fluid is admitted to cylinder 52 through conduit 188 to urge carrier 46 downwardly, pressure fluid is supplied through branch conduit 210 to pneumatic hammer 94 to cause rapid reciprocation of putting-out blade 102. Similarly, when fluid pressure is admitted throughconduit 182 to cylinder 56 to drive carrier 48 upwardly, it is also admitted through branch conduit 212 to pneumatic hammer 92 so as to reciprocate putting-out blade 100. In this situation each of blades 100, 102 is yieldably urged toward panel 16 by means of compression springs 76, 86.

When pressure fluid is admitted through conduit to cylinder 52 to drive carrier 46 upwardly, the pressure fluid is simultaneously admitted through branch conduit 216 to cylinder 218, driving piston 220 outwardly and causing holder 64 to pivot counterclockwise about its support and withdraw blade 102 from panel 16. In the same manner, when pressure fluid is introduced through conduit to cylinder 56 to move carrier 48 downwardly, it is simultaneously admitted through conduit 222 to cylinder 224, driving piston 226 against holder 62 and rotating it in a clockwise direction to move blade 100 away from panel 16 and hide 20.

Because the extent of movement of blades 100, 102 away from panel 16 upon actuation of pistons 220 and 226 is insuflicient to permit the blades to clear the reinforced margins 17 of the panels, a separate manually controlled valve 230 is provided to supply pressure fluid to cylinder 32 in order to move the entire platform 28 to ward and away from panel 16 in order to permit margins 17 of the panels to pass blades 100, 102.

In operation of the device to carry out the method of the present invention, a coating of wet paste is first applied to the smooth face of panel 16 as by spraying in conventional fashion, after which a wet hide or skin 20 is loosely adhered in place manually. Panel 16 then advances past the smoothing and stretching station at which the platform 28 is located. Valve 230 is actuated to withdraw platform 28 from the path of the, advanc Pa 16 to permit its marginal portion 17 to pass blades 100 102. Valve 230 is then actuated to move platform 28 toward panel 16 and bring it up against its stops 36, 36. Foot valve 170 and valve 192 are then actuated to move control rod 134 with its pressure relief valves 132, 140 to such a position that blade 100 mounted on carrier 48 will begin its upward stroke, and blade 102 mounted on carrier 46 will begin its downward stroke, close to the midline of the wet hide or skin. Valve 196 is also actuated to move control rod 152 into position to terminate the downward movement of carrier 46 and its associated blade 102 at some point beneath the lower margin of the hide or skin. It is normally unnecessary to adjust the position of control rod 112, each hide 20 being placed on panel 16 with its upper edge in approximately the same position.

As foot valve 170 continues to be held open, carriers 46, 48 are reciprocated vertically on their supporting tracks, blades 100 and 102 being yieldably pressed against the wet hide or skin while they are rapidly reciprocated by hammers 92, 94 as the blades are advanced in the direction of convergence of each blade with the face of the panel, i.e., toward the apex of the angle formed between the blade and the face of the panel. The course through which each blade advances is thus parallel to the face of the panel and transverse to the direction of travel of the panel. During the return of the blades, they are withdrawn from contact with hide 20 by pistons 220, 226 and their rapid reciprocation by hammers 92, 94 is interrupted. Successive sweeping advances of blades 100, 102 across the skin are made as panel 16 continues to advance past the smoothing and stretching station until the entire hide or skin has been subjected to the action of the reciprocating blades. The speed of advance of panel 16 is such that each course of a blade across the Wet hide overlaps slightly the preceding course of the same blade, thus subjecting the entire surface of the hide to the action of the blades. If desired, panel 16 may remain stationary while platform 28 is moved past it, the essential feature being only that there be relative movement of the panel and the smoothing and stretching station.

When it is desired to have both blade 100 on carrier 48 and blade 102 on carrier 46 begin their strokes from positions adjacent each other, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, so that they move simultaneously in opposite directions, the slides 176, 178 will be at opposite ends of their respective valves as seen in schematic FIG. 7 instead of at the same ends, and will move in op posite directions.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, control rods 134, 152 are secured to racks 240, 242 driven by pinions 244, 246, respectively, which are keyed to shaft 248 of reversible electric motor 250 controlled by a conventional reversing switch (not shown). Pinion 246 is twice the diameter of pinion 244, causing rack 242 and control rod 152 to move twice as far as rack 240 and control rod 134.

I This ensures that no matter what the position of control rod 134 and relief valves 132, 140 which actuate carriers 46, 48 to start their operative advances, the length of advance of both carriers will remain the same. This arrangement facilitates operation of the device, since by maintaining the starting position for the advance of carriers 46, 48 near the vertical midpoint of the irregularly shaped hide as it is moved with panel 16 past the machine station, this arrangement ensures that stretching tension is applied to the hide in both upward and downward direction equally and produces more uniform results.

While manually and pneumatically controlled valves have been shown for controlling the supply of air or steam to cylinders 32, 52 and 56 which serve as prime movers, it will be understood that any other conventional controls may be employed. For example, conventional solenoid-actuated four-way valves may be used in place of slide valves 172, 174 in which case limit switches will take the place of relief valves 110, 132, 140 and 150. Similarly, a solenoid-actuated valve and reversing switch may replace valve 230.

It is found that the rapid vibration or reciprocation of the blades, together with the yieldable pressure of the blade against the surface of the wet hide, serves to provide remarkably uniform smoothing and stretching action upon the hides, extracting a uniform high percentage of water from the hide and subjecting the hide to a uniformly high stretch while pasting it to the face of the drying panel. In some cases, however, vibration or reciprocation of the blades is not essential and the blade may be merely clamped or otherwise fixedly secured to its holder. One such construction is shown in FIG. 11, in which blade is fixed to a rigid handle 281 which in turn is secured in holder 62 by means of set-screw 282.

While the embodiment shown incorporates only a single pair of putting-out blades, it will be appreciated that additional pairs of blades may be provided, operated in like manner.

This application is a continuation in part of copending application Serial No. 811,139, filed May 5, 1959.

Although specific embodiment-s of the invention have been described herein, it i not intended to limit the invention solely thereto, but to include all of the obvious variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for putting-out wet hides and skins on a smooth flat surface for drying comprising a putting-out blade mounted to form an acute angle with said surface, means for advancing said blade across said surface in a direction toward the apex of said acute angle, means for yieldingly urging said blade toward said surface while it is advancing, and means for rapidly reciprocating said blade in its own plane toward and away from said surface during its advance across said surface.

2. Apparatus for putting-out wet hides and skins on a smooth surface for drying comprising a putting-out blade having an operating edge adapted to engage said hides and skins without cutting, means for rapidly reciprocating said edge in a path extending toward and away from said surface at an acuate angle thereto, and means for :advancing said reciprocating blade edge across said surface in the direction in which said path converges with said surface to stretch said hides and skins into intimate contact with said surface.

3. Apparatus for putting-out wet hides and skins on a smooth drying surface which comprises a putting-out 'blade having an operating edge adapted to engage hides and skins frictionally without cutting, means for rapidly reciprocating said operating edge toward and away from said surface along a path converging with said surface at an acute angle, means for advancing said reciprocating edge across said surface in the direction in which said path converges with said surface and for returning said openating edge in the opposite direction, means for yieldingly pressing said reciprocating edge toward said surface in a direction transverse to said path while it advances to engage hides and skins spread against said surface, and means for withdrawing said operating edge from contact with said hides and skins during said return.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 comprising in addition means for terminating the advance of said reciprocating edge at a selected point and for initiating its return.

5. Apparatus for putting-out wet hides and the like comprising a smooth-surfaced drying panel to the face of which said hides are adapted to be pasted, said panel being arranged to be advanced past a smoothing and stretching station, means at said station for smoothing and stretching said hide comprising a putting-out blade having an operating edge adapted to engage said hide frictionally without cutting it, means for rapidly reciprocating said operating edge toward and away from said panel along a path converging with the face thereof :at an acute angle, means for yieldingly urging said reciprocating edge in a direction transverse to said path toward the face of said panel and into contact with said hide, and means for advancing said edge along a course generally parallel to the face of the panel and transverse to the direction of travel of said panel, the advance of said edge being in the direction in which said path converges with said panel face, to smooth and press said hide into intimate contact with the face of the panel while stretching said hide.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim in which said smoothing and stretching means comprises two putting-out blades, the path of reciprocation of the operating edge of each said blade being oppositely inclined toward the face of said panel with respect to the other, and includes means for advancing each said operating edge along said course in a direction opposite to the other.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said puttingout blades are mounted for advance of their operating edges in courses parallel and adjacent to each other.

8. Apparatus for putting-out wet hides and the like upon a smooth-faced drying panel comprising smoothing and stretching means including first and second puttingout blades each having an operating edge adapted to rub against a hide without cutting it, said smoothing and stretching means and said panel being arranged to be moved past each other with a hide loosely adhered to the face of the panel, means for advancing each operating edge along a course parallel to the face of the panel and transverse to the direction of relative movement of said panel and said smoothing and stretching means, the course of each operating edge being parallel and adjacent to the course of the other and the direction of advance of each operating edge being opposite to that of the other, adjustable means for terminating the advance of each operating edge and returning it to its starting point, said means being adjustable to coordinate the starting points of both operating edges so that they advance from adjacent the middle of a hide in opposite directions toward the margins thereof, means for yieldingly urging each said operating edge toward the face of said panel during the advance of said edge and for drawing each said edge away from the face of the panel during the return of the edge, and means for rapidly reciprocating each said edge along a path generally parallel to its course and converging with the face of the panel at an acute angle in the direction of advance of said edge to smooth and stretch said hide into close contact with the face of said panel.

9. Apparatus for putting-out wet hides and skins on a smooth flat surface for drying comprising a putting-out blade having an operating edge adapted to engage hides and skins frictionally without cutting, and means for rapidly reciprocating said blade in its own plane in a direction transverse to said operating edge.

10. Apparatus for putting-out wet hides and skins on a smooth flat surface for drying comprising at least one pair of putting-out blades each having an operating edge adapted to engage hides and skins frictionally without cutting, means for advancing each blade of a pair in a path across said surface simultaneously with and in a direction opposite to the other blade of said pair and for yieldingly urging each blade toward said surface while it is advancing, the operating edges of said pair of blades being initially positioned adjacent each'other at the beginning of said advance and remote from each other at the end of said advance, and means for varying the initial position of each operating edge along said paths while maintaining their initial positions adjacent each other.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which means is provided for varying the terminal position of the operating edge of at least one blade of apair.

12. Apparatus as'defined in claim 11 including means for maintaining the length of advance of each blade substantially equal to that of the other blade of a pair.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 17,576 Hammell June 16, 1857 115,709 Collins June 6, 1871 157,691 Lockwood Dec. 15, 1874 967,986 Smith Aug. 23, 1910 985,466 Smith Feb. 28, 1911 1,660,022 Wright Feb. 21, 1928 1,660,023 Wright Feb. 21, 1928 1,920,341 Ballard Aug. 1, 1933 2,118,070 Connor May 24, 1938

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