US1938278A - Machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather, and other similar pieces of works - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 5, 1933. J H CONNOR 1,938,278

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON HIDEJS, SKINS, LEATHERS,

AND OTHER SIMILAR PIECES OF WORK Filed Feb. 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 5, CONNOR MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON HIDES, SKINS, LEATHERS AND OTHER SIMILAR PIECES OF WORK Filed Feb. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -mriiizai'liilma'ian Patented Dec. 5, 1933 DIACHINE FOB, GEERATENG UPON HEDES, SKINS, LEATHER, AND GTHER SHVIILAR PIECES OF WORK John H. Connor, Newton, Mass.

Application February 17,

38 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for treating hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work. While the invention is illustrated with reference to a machine for putting-out hides,

5] skins or pieces of leather it is to understood that the invention and various important features thereof may have other applications and uses, such, for instance, as in unhairing, fieshing, ironing, glazing, brushing and polishing operations.

In putting-out operations upon hides, skin or pieces of leather, a considerable portion of the watery content of the piece of work is removed and, at the same ti1ne,-an attempt is made to stretch the work out in one or more directions, and to efface folds and wrinkles as in .ch as pos sible. Objects of this invention are to increase the efficiency of putting-out operations in the removal of the watery content of hides, skins and pieces of l ather so that a larger proportion of said watery content may berernoved in a shorter period of time and with greater uniformity, than heretofore, in the results attained throughout the whole area of the piece of work. An object of greater importance is that directed to the spreading and stretching-out of a hide or skin in all directions from a central portion thereof in a more 'efiicient manner. Heretofore, the spreadingout of a hide or skin in all dir ctio s from a central portion thereof has been accot; plished more efficiently by hand than by any the machines provided for the purpose. Further objects of the invention are to increase both the quality and the quantity of the output in a given of time.

To these ends means is provided, in a machine for operating upon hides, skins and leather, for

beginning putting-out treatm nt at a central por-' tion of a piece of work and continuing the treatment, simultaneously in all directions, laterally of central portion whereby the watery con tent removed from said central portion first and then successively from other portions up to and including the marginal portions of the piece of work. The putting-out means is operative also to secure the desired stretching out of the piece of work in all directions from the central portion thereof simultaneously with the putting-out operation. Preferably and as shown, the said means comprises a spirally formed tool having at least one substantially complete turn to the spiral, mounted for rotation about a given axis, and arranged for co-operation with work suppo ting means adapted to present a piece of work to the spirally formed tool. Conveni ntly, the work sup- 1931. Serial No. 516,384

porting surface is so cons noted as to present a central portion of the work first t0 the tool. After an interval, which may be predetermined or left to the judgment of the operator, the operation of the tool is extended beyond said central portion of the piece or" work and the whole work supporting surface becomes effective to support and prcsert the work in a single plane against the 1 of the spirally formed tool. In order that the inner end of the spirally formed tool may have a putting-out and stretching effect on that por tion of the work located below the center of the spiral, the said spirally formed tool is mounted eccentrically with respect to the axis of its operating shaft. Furthermore, by reason of this eccentrio mounting of the spirally formed tool it has a sicewise movement with respect to the Work, said ewise movement being continuously and progressively transferred around the periphery of the spirally formed tool during rotation of the 7 latter, the described lateral movement having the effect of incr asing the lateral movement of any given portion of the spirally formed tool which the latter possesses because of rotation about its operating shaft. 80

During treatment of a hide or skin spread out upon a work supporting surface, any selected portion of the spirally arranged tool will have, due to the rotation of the tool about the axis 01 its operating shaft, a lateral component of move- 8 ment as well as a movement in the direction of rotation of the spiral about the axis of said shaft. The lateral movement just mentioned is not very considerable since the pitch of the spiral is relatively small in the illustrated machine. Because of the relatively high speed of rotation, however, the selected portion of the tool does eifect a putting-out of moisture from the hide or skin and a stretching of the treated portion of the hide or skin in a direction away from said center of rotation. Since the greater part of the movement of said selected portion of the tool is in the direction of rotation of the spiral there is a distinct tendency to displace the hide or skin by carrying it along over the work support in the direction of rotation of the spiral. This tendency is apt to manifest itself most clearly in the shank portions by the formation of pleats or folds or even by lateral displacement of said shank portions in the direction of rotation of the spiral. 105 However, by moving the whole spiral in a circle in a direction the reverse of the direction of rotation of the spiral this tendency to displacement is overcome since the movement of translation of the tool gives it a relatively wide sweeping movement over the piece of work in a direction to neutralize the drawing action of the tool along its line of rotation. At the same time, this marked movement of the spiral tool in a lateral direction, i. e., in a direction away from the center of the piece of work, contributes greatly to the good results obtained in putting-out the watery content of the hide or skin and working it out into an extended'condition. This working out and putting-out movement takes place the more effectively the nearer the speeds of rotation and of translation of the bladed tool approach each other. Actual displacement of the watery portions of the hide or skin from the hide or skin is accomplished largely through the centrifugal efiect of the rapidly rotating spiral after the watery content has been brought to the surface through the scraping and stretching effect of the lateral movements of the spiral tool on the piece of work. During rotation of the disk which carries the spirally formed tool and its travel bodily in a circular path, any selected portion of the spirally formed tool is caused to move in lateral directions over the piece of work, the direction of lateral movement being continuously and progressively changed so that the piece of work is put-out and spread-out laterally, i. e., away from a central portion of the work, in all directions simultaneously beginning with a given centralportion of the piece of work and extending to the extreme marginal portion of said piece of Work.

For presenting the work to the spirally formed tool or blade, there is provided, as already stated, a work supporting member. This work supporting member comprises a table having a plane surface, a central portion of which may be projected initially in a direction towardthe spirally formed tool or blade so that a central portion of a piece of work on the table will be operated upon first to begin spreading and putting-out operations upon said central portion of the piece of work. After a brief period the middle portion of the Work support returns to the same level as the rest of the work support so that all portions of the Work are supported at the same level to take the thrust of the bladed tool, whereby all portions of the work may receive substantially the same Working pressure during the completion of the putting-out and stretching operations. I

In order to secure the described presentation of the middle portion of the work first to the spirally formed tool, there is provided in one embodiment of the invention a table or work support having a central circular member as an auxiliary work support separately mounted so that it may be projected toward the spirally formed tool or blade at the beginning of a given operation. Preferably and as shown, this central circular member of the table is backed by a spring of a strength to support said central circular member of the table against a predetermined amount of pressure exerted by the spirally formed tool, the arrangement being such that said central circular member will move under pressure of the tool back to a position where its work supporting surface is in the same plane with the rest of the table whereby all portions of the work are supported at the same level to take the thrust of the bladed tool.

While in most cases it is desirable to press a given central portion of the work more firmly against the spirally arranged tool, as, for instance, by means of the spring pressed circular member described in the preceding paragraph, it

is preferable in other cases to provide for removal of such pressure after a predetermined amount of treatment so that all portions of the work will receive substantially the same pressure during subsequent treatment. For this purpose the illustrated machine may embody means for retracting the central presser member of the work support relatively to the rest of the work support and against the tension of its operating spring, the said means comprising also a latching means for holding the central presser member in such a position that its work supporting surface is in the same plane as the work supporting surface of the rest of the work support. Conveniently, this latching means is automatically operated during the ascent of the work support to work presenting position. Preferably, however, the latching means is under the control of the operator so that it may be released after a fresh piece of work has been inserted into the machine. It is contemplated also that said latching means will be used to keep the central work supporting member always in the plane of the work support asv a whole in those cases where it is not desirable to apply more pressure to one part of the work than to another portion thereof.

In place of the central circular member, it is contemplated to provide a table or other work support having a substantially continuous work supporting surface formed in part by a pad which may be either pneumatically or hydraulically distended at the beginning of a work treating operation. This initial distension of the pad serves to present a given portion of the work first to the bladed tool, the construction and arrange ment being such that, after a predetermined interval, the pad gradually returns to a flattened condition whereby the field of operation of the bladed tool is gradually extended from a central portion outwardly in all directions toward marginal portions of the work, the pad upon complete collapse being so disposed that it presents, together with the rest of the work support or table, a work supporting surface all in a single plane whereby all portions of the work are finally subjected to the same degree of pressure exerted by the thrust of the bladed tool.

To facilitate operation upon a given piece of work with uniform pressure over the whole of the work, the said work support or table may be mounted so that it may be self-adjusting or selfalining with respect to the plane of the operating edge of the spirally formed tool or blade. Conveniently, the table has a downwardly facing convexly curved surface adapted to fit within a complementally curved concave supporting surface whereby the table is readily tiltable to effect the described self-alining action. It is contemplated to provide also adjustable alining members by which the table may be first adjusted and then fixed in the desired plane with respect to the plane of the operating edge of the spirally formed tool or blade.

Since the operating edge of the spirally formed tool or blade is in a single plane, a piece of work which has been put out upon a work support in the operation of said tool is spread out in its fully extended condition in a single plane. In order that this piece of Work may be readily treated while it is maintained in its fully extended 15.5

condition, each piece of work will be presented to the putting-out machine while supported upon a portable backing of flexible material so that the backing may conform to the desired degree with the central raised portion of the. machine work support or table. In this way, after the putting-out operation, the piece of work with its backing may be removed as a unit and the work submitted to treatment at one or more stations while still spread out upon its backing as it left the putting-out machine.

These and other features of the invention will now be described in detail and then pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

Inthe drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation and partly in section of a machine showing one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a View s spirally bladed member of Fig. 2 189;

Fig. 4; is a View similar to the sectioned portion of Fig. 1 showing a modification of the work support;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to the sectioned portion of Fig. l but showing means for alining the work support with respect to the operating surface of the spirall arranged tool; and

6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but disclosing a pneumatic pad operative as a con presenting member.

In the drawin s which disclose a machine particularly adapted to put ing-out and stretclL'ng operations upon hides, skins and pieces of leather there is provided a work support 10 mounted for movement in a vertical direction upon a portion of the frame 12. For this purpose the table 10 may have secured thereto a hub 14 slidable within a correspondin ly shaped socket in the frame 12. For moving the table 10 there is provided in the illustrated construction a treadl'e 16 pivoted at 18 upon the machine frame and having a connection with the table through a pair of links 20 pivoted to the treadle 16 and to the work support 10. While treadle means is shown for operating the work support, the provision of suitable power means for the purpose is contemplated.

While the upper surface of the work support 10 may, in certain cases, be so constructed as to provide a work supporting surface all in one plane, preferably and as shown, a portion of the work support is project-able above the plane of the remaining portion. This projectable portion is an auxiliary work support conveniently constructed as circular member 32 set in a correspondingly shaped opening in the central portion of the table 10 and having a shank portion 3a rigid with said circular member 32. As shown, the shank member 84 extends downwardly through the bored out hub member 14 integral with the under portion or" the table 10. Surrounding a lower portion of the shank member 34 is a sleeve 38 screw threaded on its exterior surface for threaded engagement with an interiorly screw threaded portion of the bore in the hub 14. Located between the sleeve 38 and the circular member 32 is a spring 40 which surrounds the upper portion of the shank 34. proper adjustment of the sleeve 38 the tension of the spring l0 may be readily varied, as desired, a nut 42 being provided on the sleeve 38 for fixedly securing the sleeve 38 in its adjusted position. For holding the circular member 32 and its shank 34. within the sleeve 38 against the pressure of the spring 40 there is provided a couple of nuts 44 screw threaded upon the lower end of the shank 34, adjustment of the position of the circular member 32with respect to the work support proper manipulation of the nuts 44. For limiting the downward movement of the circular member 32 so that when fully depressed its upper surface will be in the same plane as the work supporting surface of the work support 10, there is provided a member 46 threaded into a tapped opening in the support 10 below the circular member 32.

Through selection and adjustment of the spring within a sixty-fourth of an inch from the plane of the operating edge of the tool.

For treating a piece of work, such as a skin shown at 51, while it is supported upon the work 10 being accomplished through support 10 and the circular member 32, there is provided a tool 50 which, in the illustrated construction, comprises a disk 52 provided on its under surface with a spirally arranged member 54 (Fi s. 1 to 6, inclusive) the latter being in fact the real work treating member. As shown, the work treating portions of the spirally arranged member 54 are all in one plane. In a machine designed for putting-out operations the spirally arranged member 54 is formed as a blade member having an edge portion effective to put-out the watery content of hides and skins and to stretch such hides or skins simultaneously with the putting-out of the watery content thereof. Since it is not practical or desirable to extend the inner end of the spirally arranged blade clear to the axis of rotation of the spiral, because of the acute bending of the b ade which wou e neces- M c sary under such circumstances, and because of the close quarters wherein the watery content of the hide or skin would be more or less imprisoned during the operation of the tool, there would normally be a small circular space surrounding the axis of the spirally bladed member untreated if said In mber were rotated about its axis. For this reason the spirally bladed memher is mounted eccentrically with respect to the axis of its operating shaft 56 so that no portion of the work is left untreated at the center of the spiral.

As shown most clearly in Fig. l the shaft 56 is pinnedto the disk 52 and is rotated by power means which will subsequently be described herein. In addition to the power means for causing rotation of the shaft 56 there provided means for moving the spirally arranged tool 54 and its operating shaft 55 bodily in a circular path so that the spirally arranged tool so has movements over the work quite independent of the movement obtained through rotation of the spirally arranged member by its shaft 56. In order to secure movement of the shaft 56 and the parts attached thereto in the circular path mentioned above, the shaft is eccentrically mounted in a block 60 which in turn is mounted for rotation in a bearing 62 furnished by an extension 64 on the frame 12 of the machine. Secured to the upper end of the block so is a bevel gear 66 having sixty-one teeth, a peripheral portion of the lower surface of the bevel gear resting upon an upwardly facing smooth surface on the journal member 62. Resting on the upper face of the gear 66 inside of the periphe "ally arranged bevel teeth is an anti-friction device 68 upon which rests a collar 70 secured to an upper end portion of the shaft 56. The anti-friction device 68 and the collar 70 support the shaft 56 and the parts secured to th lower end of aid shaft 56 which parts include the disk 52 and the spirally arranged tool 54-heretofore described, the said lower end of the shaft also supporting between the disk 52 and the downwardly facing surface of the journal 62 a pair of anti-friction devices 72 and 74. As shown, the anti-"riotion device 72 co-operates-with the bevel gear 66 in holding the block 60 in place vertically within the journal 62 While the anti-friction device 7 co-operates with the anti-friction device 68 in holding the shaft 56 in proper vertical position within its bearings in the block 66 and bevel gear 66. Since the shaft 56 is mounted eccentrically within the block 60 it is clear that upon rotation of the block-60 the shaft and the par s ed thereby will be moved in a circular path (Figs. 2 and 3) about the axis of the block 66 which lies in the line 76 which is also the center line of the work treating parts of the machine. For driving the bevel gear 66 there is provided a bevel pinion 78 having 30 gear teeth fixed to a shaft 80 mounted in bearings upon the'machine frame. 7 t itsfree end the shaft 89 carries fast and , loose pulleys 82, 84, the arrangement being such that upon shifting a belt 86 to the fixed pulley 82 the shaft 80 will be power driven through the belt 86 which receives its power from any suitable source.

The means heretofore referred to for causing rotation of the shaft 56 comprises conveniently a pulley 83 secured to the shaft having a belt 90 arranged to be driven thereby. This belt 90 passes over an idle pulley at 9'2 and thence to a pulley 94 at the upper end of a shaft 96 journaled in a bearing 98 above t e 62. In order that the shaft 96 may cause rotation of the shaft 56, a universal joint connection 100 is provided between the lower end of the shaft 96 and the upper end of the shaft versa l joint connection coin-prises pivoted at its upper end to rock pins 104, 166 carried by the s 1 arranged at right angles to each other, the member 102 being also pivoted to rock at its lower end about two pi ot pins 108, 116 carried by the lower shaft 56.

In Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, a large arrow 120 indicates the direction of rotation of the spirally arran ed member 54 while a arrow 122 near the center of the spiral and on a small circle indicates the path of movement of the axis of the shaft 56 in a small circle and in direction the reverse of that of the rotation of This unithe spiral, as indicated by the arrow 126. In these same figures, the line in ates t c axis of the shaft 56, whereas the li" center line of the spiral, b

licates the a its operating shaft 56 is ca al in ar ount The displacement mentioned is v A three only in showing the spirally arranged me-nber 54 at a different point in its rotation. This figure shows also that, whereas, the spirally arranged tool 54 has rotated through 180 of a circle, the shaft 56 and the tool 54 carried thereby have moved only through 96 of the small circle 123 and in the reverse direction. in other words, the speed of rotation of the shaft 56 is twice the speed of travel of the shaft 56 bodily in the path of the circle 123. Here, again, in spec g the relative speed of movement of the shaft 56 in a circle and about its own axis it is not intended to limit the invention in any way, it being quite possible that it be found desirable n certain classes of operation upon hides, s and leather to provide for equal speed of rotation and of translation of the shaft 56. On th otl 'iand, it may be found desirable to reduce tl" .-.peed of translation of the shaft 56 very consid :ably with respect to the speed of rotation of said shaft 56 as, for instance, in brushing operations for which a spirally arranged brush is substituted for the spirally arranged blade 51 useful in putting-out operations upon hides skins and leather.

While in machine shovm in l the construction is such that the auxiliary work supporting member 32 is acted upon by the spring so throughout the work t tin operation, it is desirable under certain c o stances to be able to remove the sure of the spring 20 substantially at the time a. at work support 16 a whole reaches work pi enting position with respect to the y arranged tool 54-. To this end there is provided, as shown in Fig. 4, means for retracting the Wei-"l: pporting member 32 relatively to the work support 3.0 at a rate corresponding substantially to the rate of movement of the support 16 toward work presenting position with respect to the tool 54. As illustrated, this means comprises a stationary abutment 130 which is perforated for the passage of the shank member 34 of the supp rting member 32. Mounted upon lower portion of the shank men ber 34 is a spring which constitutes in eifect a yielding abutment will hereinafter be described. Resting upo the s ring 132 is a washer 13 a similar washer 536 it nishing a support for the spring 132 and adjustable nuts 138 being provided on the shank nber 3 for adjusting the position of the spring 132 and its washers 134, 136. On depression of a tree-ole 140, the work support 16 is moved upwardly through links 142 which connect the treadle with t ie hub portion 14 of the'work support 10. On upward movement of the work support 19, the central portion of the work is presented to the tool 54 by reason of the advanced position of the circular work supporting inembe" The arrangement is preferably such that the work support 32 is depressed to a predetermined extent rcl tlvely to the work support 10 by the piece of we k coi ring up against the tool 54 which unyielding in the vertical direction, in order to insure that the work will be presented against the thrust of the tool with a pressure sufiicient to s cure the desired operation on the central portion or" the work. Theretill after the work supporting member 32 will be held against further independent upward movement through engagement of the washer 134, backed by the spring 132, against the lower surface of the stationary abutment 130. The point at which arresting of the member 32 by the spring 132 begins can be predetermined by adjustment of the nuts 138. While the work support 10 continues to ascend the circular work supporting member 32 is held stationary and is thus retracted relatively to the work support 10. Finally a latch 144, pivoted at 146 to a bracket carried by the hub 14 of the work support 10 is moved inwardly by a spring 148 to engage the upper surface of a collar 150 secured to the shank member 34 whereby the shank member 34 and the circular work supporting member 32 are locked relatively to the work support with the upper surface of the work supporting member 32 in the same plane as the work supporting surface of the work support 10. By this arrangement all excess pressure upon the circular work supporting member 32 is removed shortly after the presentation of the central portion of the work to the tool 54, meaning by this that all portions of the work resting upon both the central work supporting member 32 and the work support 10 are presented to the tool 54 with the same pressure so far as that may be determined by the plane surface of the two work supporting members 10 and any inequalities in the thickness of the work being accommodated by a pad 149 which may be of felt or rubber or any other suitable material yieldable to pressure. It is an object of the latching arrangement just described that the latch 144 should maintain the circular work supporting member 32 at the same level as the work support 10 during descent of these two work supporting members to work receiving position where the piece of work just acted upon may be removed and a fresh piece inserted, without any difficulty such as might be caused by an elevated position of the member 32 with respect to the upper surface of the table 10. After a piece of work has been introduced into the machine while the work support 10 is in lowered position, the operator may release the circular work supporting member 32 by retracting the latch 144 to inoperative position. This is conveniently accomplished by depressing an auxiliary treadle 152 which is pivoted upon the same fulcrum as the treadle 140 and which has an upwardly extending arm 154 held by a spring 156 against a stop 158. Upon depression of the auxiliary treadle 152, the arm 154 is caused to engage a pin on the latch 144 to move the latter to the right into inoperative position against the tension of the spring 148. Upon unlatching of the circular work supporting member 32, the latter is at once projected upwardly by the spring 40 so that a central portion of the work is presented first to the tool 54. It is altogether likely that, under certain circumstances, the latch 144 will not be rendered inoperative at any time during the operation of the machine in which caseall portions of the work will be presented at the same time to the tool 54 and will receive treatment under the same conditions of pressure.

Under certain circumstances, and particularly where pieces of work have each a thin edge and a thick edge, it is desirable that the work sup port for presenting pieces of work to the tool 54 may be self-alining to secure uniformity of pressure upon the piece of workinterposed between the work support andthe tool, Upon reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings it will be observed that a work supporting member 1'70 is provided with a ball portion 1'72 having a convexly curved surface which fits into and rests upon a complementally curved concave surface furnished by a hub member 1'74 integral with a spider member 1'76. The spider member 1'76 is provided with sockets, two of which are shown at 1'78 in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and in each socket is a spring 180 the upper end of which rests against a portion of the under surface of the table 1'70, the spring 180 being backed by a sleeve member 182 adjustable in said socket. Extending through the sleeve member 182 is a rod 184 secured to the work support 170 and having a washer 186 and adjusting nuts 188 upon its lower end. As the parts are shown in Fig. 5, the work support 1'70 is free to aline itself after the work is pressed against the tool 54 since the springs 180 will readily yield to provide for such alining movement by the work support, it being possible through adjustment of the sleeves 182 to make the tension of thesprings 180 suitable to the characteristics of the work being treated. It is also possible through adjustment of the nuts 188 to adjust the table or work support 170 and to hold it in such adjusted position. Upon inspection of Fig. 5 it will be observed further that clearance is provided between the extension 190 of the ball member 1'72 and the inner surface of the hub 1'74 whereby the adjusting movements of the Work support 170 may take place without meeting any obstruction in such movement. Other than as described the construction of the work support 1'70 with its circular work supporting member 32 is the same as that disclosed in connection with the work support 10 in Figs. 1 and 4.

In the modifications in Fig. 6 of the drawings there is substituted in place of the circular work supporting member 32 of Figs. 1, 4 and 5 a pneumatic pad 200 for the purpose of presenting a central portion of the work first to the tool 54. It is to be understood that the pad may be distended by properly arranged hydraulic means controlled substantially in the same manner as the pneumatic means about to be described. Conveniently the pad 200 is set in a recess in a central portion of a work supporting member 202, the said pad having an upper wall 204 which is thinner than the lower wall of the pad so that substantially all of the expansion of the pad will be in an upward direction. Preferably also the pad 200 is held in place on the work support 202 by a plate 206 secured to the work support 202. Passing through a lower portion of the work support 202 and through the plate 206 is a metal tube 208 to the lower end portion of which is secured a flexible tube 210 connected at its other end to a release valve 212. The release valve 212 is connected to a stop or shut-off valve 214 and this in turn by a pipe to a reduction valve 216 which is connected to a pipe 218 leading to a pump or to any other suitable source of supply of air under pressure. When the work support 202 is in its lower or work receiving position the pad 200 is inflated since in this position of the work support 202 the stop valve 214 is open, being held in such open position by a lever 220 pivoted at 222 to a stationary bracket and by a link 224 to' the under side of the work support 202, the construction and arrangement being such that a portion 226 of the valve 214 is depressed by the lever 220. In this position of the work support 202 and of the valve stem 226, the valve 214 permits passage of airunder pressure to the pad 200.

support it) continues its upward movement.

As the work support 202 rises under pressure of a treadle lever 228, the valve stem 226 is permitted to move upwardly in time to close the passage from the source of air under pressure. At the time that the'table or work support 202 starts moving upwardly, the release valve 212 is inoperative whereby air is retained under pressure within the pad 200 until at a predetermined point in the upward movement of the work support 202 release of pressure within the pad 200 is begun through tension exerted on a chain 230 attached to the lower surface of the table or work support 202 and to a lever 232 which controls the release valve 212, the arrangement being such that as the table 202 continues its upward movement the pad 200 is gradually-deflated until the upper surface of the pad in its collapsed condition rests in the same plane as that of the rest of the work support or table 202. The function of the reduction valve 216 is to determine the pressure within the pad 200, it being possible for instance to have a pressure in the pad of eight or ten pounds to the square inch where the pressure in the pipe may be as large as forty pounds. It will be clear from the foregoing description of the pad mechanism that a central portion of the work will be presented first to the tool54 by the inflated pad 200 during upward movement of the work support 202 and that'continued upward movement of the work support 202 will result in deflation of the pad carried out gradually so that operation on the work spreads laterally during continued movement of the work support 202 until all portions of the work are presented to the tool. Furthermore, upon return of the work support 202 to its lower or work receiving position, the valves 212 and 214 will be operated to permit inflation of the pad 200 as a preliminary to a succeeding work treatin operation. Conveniently, the release valve 212 is also a safety valve since it will be so constructed as to permit escape of air should the pressure within the pad rise above a predetermined limit.

In operating the machine herein described, a piece of work, such as 9. hide or skin 51, is placed upon a portable work support 240 made of a suitable flexible material such as a sheet of rubber or linoleum. It is desirable that the hide or skin be spread out upon the portable work support in the manner and to the extent that pieces or work are ordinarily spread out upon work supports preliminarily to treatment in machine operations. After the piece of work has been introduced into the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the treadle i6 is depressed by the operator, thus moving the work support 10 upwardly toward the spirally arranged blade 54. Since the circular member 32 is normally projected upwardly from the general level of the work support 10 it will present the central portion of the work first to the blade which at the time is being driven by the means heretofore described. On continued upward movement of the work support 10 the spring 40 is compressed, the circular member 32 remaining stationary while the surrounding work It follows that the central portion of the work is pressed more firmly against the tool than portions further from the center line 76. As before stated, the extent of this additional pressure exerted by the spring 40 can readily be predetermined through adjustment of the sleeve 38.

There are distinct advantages in this arrangement by which the central portion of the work receives slightly greater pressure during its treatment. Since the bladed tool in its central portion is traveling at a much slower speed of rotation than those portions of the same spiral blade nearer the per phery of the disk 52, the additional pressure on the central portion of the work tends to comp nsate for the greater speed of the treatment on the peripheral portions of the work. Furthe more, it is desirable to exert greater over the middle portions of a hide or skin during putting-out operations, for the middle portions of a hide or skin are usually of a closer fiber and hence are somewhat denser and heavier than the lateral portions of the hide or skin such as the flanks and shanks which, in the great majority of cases, are looser fibered and of greater stretching quality than the denser, firmer portions at and near the central portion of the same hide or skin. After treatment for the desired length of time, the work support is lowered and a fresh piece of work on its own portable work support is introduced and the machine operated as before.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a support for a piece of work, and means for operating upon the piece of work comprising a member in a spiral form extending on opposite sides of its axis of rotation, the operative edge of said spirally formed member being in a single plane, and means for relatively rotating said member and said Work support to efiect treatment of the work.

2. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a support for a piece of work, means for operating upon the piece of work comprising a spirally formed member arranged to be rotated about an axis extending at an angle to the plane of said spirally formed member and to ext nd on opposite sides of said axis, and means to support said spirally formed member in a position eccentric with respect to said axis.

3. in a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a support for a piece of work, and a tool for operating upon the piece of work comprising a disk provided with a spirally formed member having a plurality of turns and the work contacting portions of said member all in one plane.

4. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a sup port for a piece of work, a spirally formed tool having a substantially complete turn about its axis of rotation and its operative edge portion in a single plane, and means for causing relative movement between the tool and the work support to treat the piece of work.

5. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a support for a piece of work, and a spirally formed tool constructed and arranged to extend in a continuous line encircling the axis of the spiral from its beginning at a point closely adjacent to said axis of the spiral.

6. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a support for a piece of work, a tool for operating upon formed member, said spirally formed 3 member being positioned eccentrically with respect to the axis of said shaft with its center closely adjacent to the center of said shaft.

7. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and oth 1 similar pieces of work, a sup port for a piece of work, a tool for operating upon the piece of work comprising a disk having a spirally formed member secured thereto, a shaft secured to the disk, power means for moving the shaft and disk bodil in a circle, said power means being constructed and arranged to move the tool continuously during operation of the machine, and power means constructed and arranged to rotate said shaft simultaneously with its movement in said circle whereby the spirally formed member is caused to operate on the work through the effect produced by the simultaneous movements of rotation and of translation of the tool with respect to the piece of work on the work support. I

8. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk having a spirally formed member secured thereto, a shaft secured to the disk, means arranged to move the shaft and the disk bodily in a circle and at a predeterninled speed, and means arranged to rotate said shaft on its axis simultaneously with its bodily movement and in a direction the reverse of that of its said bodily movement, whereby the tendency to displacement of the work by the tool dv its rotation is offset by said bodily movement of the tool in a direction reverse to that of its rotation.

9. In a machine for operating hides, skins, leather and'other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon the piece of work comprising a disk having a spirally formed member secured thereto, a shaft secured to the disk, means arranged to move the shaft and the disk bodily in a circle and at a predetermined speed, and means arranged to rotate said shaft simultaneously with its bodily movement and in a direction the reverse of that of its said bodily movement and at a higher rate of speed.

10. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a support for a piece of work, means for operating upon the piece of work comprising a disk having a spirally formed member secured ther to, a shaft secured to the disk eccentrically with respect to said spirally formed member, means for moving said shaft and said disk bodily in a circular path, and means for rotating said shaft during its movement in said circular path;

11. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other si lar pieces of work, a support for a piece of work, means for operat ing upon the piece of work comprising a disk having a spirally formed member secured thereto, a shaft secured to the disk eccentrically with respect to said spirally formed member, means for moving said shaft and said disk bodily in a circular path, and means for rotating the shaft during its movement in said circular path and in a direction the reverse of that of its movement in said circular path.

12.111 a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a support for a piece of work, means for operating upon the piece of work comprising a disk having a spirally formed member secured thereto, a shaft secured to the disk eccentrically with respect to said spirally formed member, means for moving said shaft and said disk bodily in a cir-' cular path, a shaft arranged in line with the axis of said disk and stationary in space, and connections between the last-mentioned shaft and said circularly movable shaft by which the latter is driven from the former.

13. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a support for a piece of work, means for operating upon the piece of work comprising a disk having a spirally formed member secured thereto, a shaft secured to the disk eccentrically with respect to said spirally formed member, means for moving said shaft and said disk bodily in a circular path, a rotary shaft stationary in space, and a universal joint connection between said last mentioned shaft and the circularly movable shaft for rotating the latter from the former.

14.11: a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operat a piece of work, means comprising wor support for supporting the work against the tin ,st of the tool, said work support having a part p'rojectable above the adjacent surface of the wed; support, and means for moving tr e work port to cause said proiectable part to pre ent a portion of the work initially to the work tool, said work support becoming ope: its movement to present other portions of the work to said tool.

15. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool 5 -r operating upon a piece of work, means comprising a member for supporting the work against the thr of the tool, means to cause relative approach movement between the tool and said member to press the work against the tool,

work supper g member having a part projectable toward the tool, and a spring arranged to support said pr jectable part in position to present a portion of work to the toolprior to other portions of the work restingupon the of the work supporting member.

16.111 a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work, and means comprising a member for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, me s to cause relative approaching movement bet on the tool and said member to press the work against the tool, said work supporting niemher having means ior pressing a portion of the work against the tool prior to the presentation of those 'aortions of the work supported directly by said work supporting member.

17. In a machine for operating upon hides,

skins, leather ad other similar pieces of work, a tool for op g upon the work, means com prising a member for suppor ting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and said member to press the work against the tool, said work supporting member having its central portion cut away, and an auxiliary work support located in said cutaway portion ofthe work supporting member and projectable above level of the work supporting surface of said said work supporting member having its central portion cut away, an auxiliary work support located in said cutaway portion of the work supporting surface of said work supporting member and arranged to press a portion of the .work against said tool prior to the presentation or" the firstmentioned portions of the work by said work supporting member, and spring means arranged to support said auxiliary work support yieldingly in a position above the surrounding work supporting member, said spring means yielding to permit retraction of the auxiliary support through pressure of the tool upon the work until it finally presents its work suppor ing surface in the same plane as the work supporting surface of said work supporting m mber.

19. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a spirally formed member having work treating parts all in one plane, a work support, and. means to cause relative approaching movement of the tool and work support to present the piece of work to the thrust of said tool, said support having a part projectable above the surface: of the work support to present to said tool a portion of the work in advance of other portions. thereof backed by the remaining part of the work support.

20. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pi ces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk having secured to one face thereof a spirally formed member having its work treating parts all in one plane, a work support, and means to cause relative approaching movement of the tool and work support to present the piece of work to the thrust of the tool, said work support having means located at its center and arranged to press'a portion of the piece of work against a central part of the spirally formed work treating member to cause treatment of said portion of the work prior to other portions of the work which are later presented by the work supporting surface of the work support.

21. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of worz, a tool for operating on a piece of woncomprising a disk and a spirally formed work treating member secured to one surface of said disk, a work support, and means to ca .se relative approach ing movement between the tool and the work support to present the piece of work to the thrust of said vork treating member, said work support being substantially of the same size as said disk and having a centrally located member arranged to press a central portion of the piece of work against a central part of the spirally formed work treating member to cause treatment of said central portion of the work before th remaining portions which are subsequently treated when pressed against the spirally formed work treating member by said work support.

22. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar see of work, a tool for operating upon apiece of work, means comprising a work support for supporting the work against the thrust of the tool, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and said work support to press the work against the tool, said work support having a plane surface and also apart projectable above the plane surface to present a portion of the work initially to the work treating tool, and means for latching said projectable part in a position wherein its work supporting surface is in the plane of the work supporting surface of the remainder of the work support.

23. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work, means comprising a member for supporting the work against the thrust of the tool, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and said member to press the work against the tool, said work supporting member having a part projectable toward the tool to present a portion of the work to the tool prior to other portions of the work resting upon the remainder of the work support, and means controlled by the Work support for retracting said projectable part relatively to the remaind r of the work support.

24. In a machine for operating upon hides,

. skins, leather and other similar pieces of work,

a tool for operating upon the work, means comprising a member for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and member to press the work against the tool, said work supporting member having means for pressing a portion of the work against the tool prior to the presentation of those portions of the work supported directly by said work supporting member, and means for rendering said pressing means inoperative.

25. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk and a spirally formed work-treating member secured to said disk, a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and work support to press the work against the tool, said work support having substantially at its center a member projectable beyond the work supporting surface of the work support to present the central portion of the work list to the spirally formed work treating member, spring means for supporting the pro'ectable work presenting member, and means operable during the operation of the machine for rendering said spring means inoperable to support said projectable member.

26. In a machine for operating upon hides,

skins, leather and other similar pieces of work,

a tool for operating upon the work, means comprising a member for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and said member to press the work against the tool, said work supporting member having its central portion cut away, an auxiliary work support located in said cutaway portion of the work supporting member and projectable above the level of the work supporting surface of said work supporting member to press a portion of the work against said tool prior to the presentation of other portions of the work by said work supporting member, and means for retracting said auxiliary work support relatively to the work supporting member at a predetermined time in the upward. movement of the latter.

27. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon the work, means comprising a member for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and said member to press the work against the tool, said work supporting member having are Cgr

L'", up

its central portion cut away, an auxiliary work support located in said cutaway portion of the work supporting surface of said work supporting member to press a portion of the work against said tool prior to the presentation of other porions of the work by said work supporting member, spring means for backing said auxiliary work support so that it may be retracted throu h pressure of the tool upon the work until it finally presents its work supporting surface in the same plane as the work supporting surface of said work support, and means comprising a stationary abutment and an abutment movable with the auxiliary work support for retracting the latter relatively to the work supporting member at a predetermined point in the upper movement of the latter.

, 28. In a machine for operating upon hides, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk having secured to one face thereof a spirally formed member having its work treating portions all in one plane, a work support for sup porting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and work support to press the work against the tool, said work support having substantially at its center a member projectable beyond the work supporting surface of the work support to present the central portion of the work first to the spirally formed work treating member, spring means for supporting the projectable work supporting member, and latching means operable during the operation of the machine for rendering said spring means inoperable to support said projectable member.

29. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating on a piece of work comprising a disk and a spirally formed work treating member secured to one surface of said disk, a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of said work treating member, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and work support to press the work against the tool, said work support having a mem ber arranged to press a central portion of the piece of work against a central portion of the spirally formed work treating member to cause treatment of said central portion of the work prior to other portions thereof, spring means for supporting said pressing member in its pressing position, means for retracting said pressing mem ber against the pressure of said spring means,

' and means for latching said pressing member in said retracted position.

30. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating on a piece of work comprising a disk and a spirally formed work treating mem ber secured to one surface of said disk, a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of said work treating member, means to cause relative approaching movement between the tool and work support to press the work against the tool, said work support having a member arranged to press a central portion of the piece of work against a central portion of the 1 spirally formed work treating member to cause treatment of said central portion of the work prior to other portions thereof, a spring for supporting said pressing member in its pressing position, means comprising a stationary abutment for retracting said pressing member relatively to said work support, and a latch for holding said pressing member in said retracted position.

31. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk, a spirally formed work treating member secured to said disk, and a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, said work support having a distensible pad adapted, when distended, to present a portion of the piece of work to thework treating member and, when collapsed, to present a surface in the same plane with the rest of the work supporting surface of the work support.

32. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk, a spirally formed work treating member secured to said disk, a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, said work support having a distensible pad adapted, when distended, to present a portion of the piece of work to the work treating member and, when collapsed, to present a surface in the same plane with the rest of the work supporting surface of the work support, and means for distending the distensible pad and for collapsing the same in timed relation to relative movement between the work support and the work treating tool.

33. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk, a spirally formed work treating member secured to said disk, and a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, said work support having an inflatable pad adapted, when inflated, to present a portion of the piece of work to the work treating member and, when collapsed, to present a surface in the same plane with the rest of the work supporting surface of the work support.

84. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk, a spirally formed work treating member secured to said disk, a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, said work support having an inflatable pad adapted, when inflated, to present a portion I of the piece of work to the work treating member and, when collapsed, to present a surface in the same plane with the rest of the work supporting surface of the work support, and means for distending the inflatable pad and for collapsing the same in timed relation to relative movement between the work support and the work treating tool.

35. In a machine for operating upon hides,

skins, leather and other similar pieces of work,

a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk having secured to one face thereof a spirally formed member having its work treating portions all in one plane, a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, said work support having a distensible pad adapted, when distended, to present a portion of the piece of work to the work treating member and, when collapsed, to present a surface in the same plane with the rest of the work supporting surface of the work support, and

means controlled by relative movement between the work support and the tool for timing the dis tention and the collapsing of the pad.

36. In a machine for operating upon hides,

skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk having secured to one face thereof a spirally formed member having its work treating portions all in one plane, a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, said work support having a distensible pad adapted, when distended, to present a portion of the piece of work to the work treating member and, when collapsed, to present a surface in the same plane with the rest of the work supporting surface of the work support, means for distending the distensible pad, and means comprising a release valve for collapsing the pad in timed relation to relative movement between the work support and the work treating tool.

37. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk having secured to one face thereof a spirally formed member having its work treating portions all in one plane, a work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, said work support having an inflatable pad adapted, when inflated, to present a portion of the piece of work to the work treating member and, when collapsed, to present a surface in the same plane with the rest of the work supporting surface of the work support, means for inflating the pad comprising a shut-off valve, means for releasing the air in the pad comprising a release valve, and means for controlling said valves in timed relation to relative movement between the work support and the work treating tool.

38. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work, a tool for operating upon a piece of work comprising a disk having secured to one face thereof a spirally formed member having its work treating portions all in one plane, a movable work support for supporting the piece of work against the thrust of the tool, said work support having an inflatable pad adapted, when distended, to present a portion of the piece of work to the work treating member and, when collapsed, to present a surface in the same plane with the rest of the work supporting surface of the work support, means for inflating the inflatable pad, means for collapsing the pad in timed relation to relative movement between the work support and the work treating tool, said last-mentioned means comprising a release valve, and a lever for controlling said valve and having a connection with the movable work support to be operated thereby.

JOHN H. CONNOR.

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