US2830661A - Method of handling hides - Google Patents

Description

ET AL 2,830,661

April 15, 1958 A. o. TRosTEL, JR.,

METHOD OF HANDLING HIDES Original Filed Aug. 3, 1955 Mw .-F Q A i. R; -n c, @e Rl l. fj. mw w Q A Q i y VEA/7' Rs. HW A rroRA/mst @Erg 2,830,661 METHOD F HANDLING HIDES Albert 0. Trostel, Jr., and Howard J. Knoller, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Albert Trostel & Sons Company, a corporation of Wisconsin Original application August 3, 1955, Serial No. 526,143,

now Patent No. 2,799,339, dated July 16, 1957. Di- I vided and this application April 17, 1957, Serial No. 653,491

4 Claims. (Cl. 164-17) hides, such as tail and cheek portions, then manually transfer each hide to another table, 'and then manually slit each hide down the center to form two half sections. These'y sections are then ready to be classified according to weight. This procedure is slow and tedious, and requires an excessive amount of manpower. 1

It is' a general object of the present invention to provide a 'method for facilitating the above operation and for.

rendering thefsame semi-automatic.v

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved method of handling hides, and

all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts n all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of apparatus for carrying out the improved method;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, with the dot and dash lines indicating hides in position thereon;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view illustrating the slitting mechanism proper and taken approximately on the line 3--3 of Fig. 5; l

Fig. 4 s a fragmentary plan view showing the frame for supporting the slitting wheel and taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral designates an endless conveyor belt which is movable i around rollers 11 and 12 supported on the ends of a frame 13. The roller 11 and endless belt may be suitably driven through a sprocket chain connection 14 with an electric motor 15. Near the outer end of the conveyor 10 are triangular hide spreading wings 16. These wings are in the form ofplates having inner edges which are slightly above and in approximate alinernent with the edges of the conveyor belt 1t). Each wing has sprocket wheels 17 and 18 rotatably supported on its under side around which a sprocket chain 19 or other endless belt or member is trained, there being suitable openings in each plate 16 to permit one stretch of the'endless member to travel below the wing while the other stretch travels along the upper surface of thewing, as is clear from Fig. 1. The endless members are in angularly divergent relationship with each other and with the sides ofthe conveyor belt 10. Projecting from the endless members 19 are spaced lugs 19' 2,830,661 Patented Apr. 15, 1958 ICC which may be a short distance apart, and which are adapted to engage the hair on the hair side of the hide to open out the Shanks.

The sprocket wheels 18 are mounted rigidly on short shafts 20 and 21 which are flexibly connected to each other by a cross-shaft 22. The shaft 21 carries a drivingsprocket 23 which is driven by means of an endless chain 24 connected with an electric motor 25, as shown in Fig. 1. With this arrangement the downwardly hanging edge portions A (Fig. 1) of hides 26 are guided up into parallelism with the main portion of the hide which is on the conveyor 10, as is indicated in Fig. 2, and the vangular endless chains which are moving underneath those portions of the hides which are on the triangular wings 16, aid in spreading these hide portions.

The inner end of the conveyor 10, as well as the inner ends of the wings 16 overhang the ends of another conveyor which is designated generally by the numeral 27. This conveyor includes a frame 28 supporting end rollers 29 and 30. Transversely spaced, parallel, endless belts 31 and 32 travel around the . rollers 29 and 30. Between the spaced inner edges of the belts 31 and 32 is a suitably supported longitudinal plate 33 (see Figs. 2 and 5).

An electric motor 34, suitably mounted on the door drives a sprocket wheel 35 through the medium of an endless chain 36. The sprocket wheel 35 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 36' suitably journaled in a bracket 37. Another sprocket wheel 38, on the shaft 36', is connected by an endless chain 39 with a sprocket wheel 40 mounted rigidly on the axle.41 forv the roller 29, the latter being fast on said axle. Thus, the electric motor 34 serves toI drive both of the conveyor belts 31 and 32.

Intermediate the length of the conveyors 31 and 32 the central longitudinal divider plate 33 carries an elongated slitter block 42 (see Figs. 3 and 5), which block is substantially triangular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 5. The front end of the block 42-is tapered downwardly toward the strip 33, as at 43, in Fig. 3. Near the rear end of the block is a knife hole 44 which registers with the knife hole in the metal strip 33. Beyond the block, and supported on the strip 33, is an upstanding support 45 for a finger 46, the latter being spaced above the block 42 and having an upwardly curled forward end as shown in Fig. 3.

Pivotally connected as at 47 to an overhead support 7 are arms 43. The lower ends of said arms carry an axle 49 on which two pairs of rubber tired hold-down wheels 5l) are rotatably mounted, one pair being over the conveyor belt 32, and the other pair being over the conveyor belt 31.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a knifecarrying frame 51 comprising spaced bars is pivotally supported to the underside of the frame for the conveyor 27 by means of a pivot shaft 52, as shown in Fig. 4, the frame 51 being rockable on the shaft 52. A circular hide slitting knife 53 is rotatably supported at one end of the frame 51 on a shaft 54. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 54 is a pulley 55 which is connected by an endless beit 56 with a'pulley 57 on another shaft 58, said shaft also carrying a rigidly mounted sprocket wheel 59.

Depending from the knife frame 51 and rockable therewith is a seat 60 (see Fig. 3) for an electric motor 61. The motor 61 is connected by an endless chain 62 with the sprocket wheel 59. The outer end of the knife frame 51 is connected by an adjustment bolt 63 with a floorv bracket 64. By manipulating the nuts 65 on the bolt 63 the amount which the upper portion of the knife 53 projects through the slot 44 of the slitting block 42 may be adjusted, and this adjustment may be effected without interfering with the drive from the motor 61, because the motor 61 audits seat 60 move with the frame 51 whenever the frame is adjustably rocked on its pivot 52.

At the vend of` theconveyor. 27 is, hide branding "Intanner'ies each hide is customarily received in ai bundletiedwith a cord, and it iscustomaryfor a tannery to receive-acar-ortruckload' ofsuch bundles. These bundles 'lmay be thrown yontothe preliminary conveyor 7], where the cord may be cut-by'rnen-standing on each side ofthe'conveyor 71, said men opening out each hide so thatby the time the hide-arrives at" the conveyor belt 10 it is sprea'd'out .as shown-bydotfand-'dash ylines at the righthand endf'of `Fig; 2e @Men fstanding alongside the conveyor 16 pickup'itheedges of the hide! as it `ris being moved `along byf-theconveyo n'clL-quicklyfslice off tail, cheek and other-projecting* The rear shank portions designated f-A in'Fi tendltovvanttofold under. These,*howeverjarim p froiiifthe downwardly hanging positioniof F4 'Jbyitlief-spreadingfplates {1 6, and-the lugs" 19'*l of the'. whichextiid atvliveijgirig a Igles engage the hair; on the From the conveyor -lheh'ide'swae continuously discharged ontofth'e double V'cbnvey'or oom'prising thefbelts 31* and 32. ",He'reginen -onieachl side, 'of the-conveyor cen-'i ter'the" f'hid'e'isoftha't itsl` longitudinal center line isapprox imately over 'the stationarynplatel, as Qshofvvnin'Fig.r 2H.v In addition,-menfstandingj'bneach sidegoflthe conveyor trim Voiiz' any projecting parts of the front andrear Shanks.

Thereaftenthe' center of ythe leading edgeof -the hide is forced upwardly byfthe tapered part 43 of the siitting block 42, as'shown by dotand dash'lines in Fig. 3 and as also shown in Fig. 5` Shortly after this takes place the side'portions of the vhide are engaged by thejholddown wheels 56 which swing to engaging position underv the inuence of gravity and which tend to pull the hide taut over the slitting block 42 just before the hide is engaged by the rotary slitting knife 53. It is to be noted that the wheels 5; are supported so that they engage the hide shortly 'before the slitter. By the time the knife engages the longitudinal center of the hide the latter is being stretched over the highest portion of the slitting block 42 and is being held taut so that eicient slitting 'i is performed by thefknife S31. This knife, of course, severs the hide into two longitudinal half sections. After passing through the s litter the cut edges pass on each side of the support A45 and then on top of the plate 70 which prevents the hide edges from getting tangled in the endless belts as they pass around the roller 249,` and which also guides said edges toward the brandingA d evice 66. While the two halves' are being dischargedfrorn the machine', an edge of rst one and then of the other hide is guidedtinto the brander, and theblock 67 is operated to brand each half section. Thereafter the. hidey sections are weighed and tossed manually into a selected pile, depending upon wcightclassiiicatn. Y 4

The knife 53 may be readily adjusted to protrude a predetermined amount through thel block 42,. by merely manipulating the nuts 65 on the adjustment lbplt. This 'ovable' endless members'. 19-

will cause rocking of the frame 51, and inasmuch as the motor 61 is rockably supported with the frame, such adjustment of the knife has no eiect upon the drive from the motor.

From the above it is apparent that a very simple method has been devised for eciently feeding hides in line formation to a slitting device, the arrangement being such that all of the preliminary trimming operations may be performed while the hides are being conveyed and prior to arrival at the slitting station.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from -the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated, as may come within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is:

1. A method of trimming and slitting hides comprising continuously moving the hides in line formation with their major portions in a horizontal plane andwith side portions of the hides overh-aging in vertical plar 1estrim;v ming off parts of the overhanging portions of the hides on each side as they are being moved, thereafter spread,-A ing out the overhanging portions of each moving hide into parallelism with the rest of the hide, continuously moving the spread out hides, thereafter trimming other parts of each hide while it is being moved, and slitting. each hide into two longitudinal half sections while-,itis beingmovedn., 1 1

2. A method oftrimming and slitting, hides,c ompgi's;v ing continuously moving the hides in line-formationwith their major portions in a horizontal planeandyithsile portions of thel hides-overhanging-v `in:vertical. plztr1 es,;' trimmingol parts of the overhanging-portions of hides on each side as they are being-moved,v thereafter-r spreading out the -overhangingportions of each moving hide into parallelism with'the rest of the hideI andislittingft each hide into two longitudinal halfsectionswhile-it beingmoved.

3. A method of tri ing'and slittingrhidescompri'sing; continuously moving the hides in yline .formation while supporting major portions in a horizontalwplaneand While allowing side portions of the hides to hang loosely under the inuence of gravity, trimming olf parts of said loosely hanging portions of the hides on both sides as. they are being moved, thereafter spreading out and sup,-

" lporting the loosely hanging portions of each moving hide into parallelism with the rest of the hide, continuously. moving the spread out hides, thereafter trimming other parts of each hide from both sides while it is being moved, and slitting each hide into two longitudinal half-sections while it is being moved. v

4. A method of trimming and slitting hides comprisingy continuously moving the hides in line formation. with their major portions in a horizontal plane and with side portions of the hides overhanging in vertical planes, trimming oi parts of the overhanging portions of the hides on each side as theyare being moved, thereafter spread. ing out the overhanging portions of each moving hide into parallelism with the rest of the hide, continuously moving `the spread out hides, thereafter trimming other parts. of each hide while it is being moved, producing a taut condition in each hide along the longitudinal center thereof while it is being moved, and slitting each hide into two longitudinal half-sections while it is being moved and while it is being held taut.

References Citedl in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,799,339 rrostel etal. 1 .j July 16, 19,51

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