Ellis Machine.—Instead of a great wheel revolving horizontally, like Hebert's, he employed a little wheel (about 30 inches diameter), which revolved vertically like a grindstone; on the outside edge of which were fixed, in suitable carriages, the glazers and grainers, provided with proper adjustments. The table on which the skins were laid was a hollow segment of a circle, of the same radius as that described by the rubbing surfaces of the glazers and grainer.; thus the skins were impressed with right lines by a curvilinear motion, owing to their lying in a hollow curve. The specification of this invention, very ably and fully described, is given in the thirteenth volume of the Repertory of Arta, Second Series, to which the reader is referred for the details; an inspection of the drawings in which inclines us to think the machine may have failed from two causes ; First, the finisher incurs great risks from blows by the revolving tools as they successively descend into the hollow curve wherein the skin is operated upon. He has to look down this curve to see his work ; and as the view is a very unfavourable one for examination, he might inadvertently put his head too near and get a fatal blow. If a guard were put up to prevent such an accident, it would be in the way, and obstruct light in a situation where more is wanted. Second, The necessity of extraordinarily accurate workmanship to make a per adjustment of the concave surface of the table, with the curve described by the revolving tools. A third objection will probably lie against the direction in which the table is brought into or goes out of action ; it is made to elide in a horizontal and tangential line with the lower side of the circle described by the tools, consequently the lower extremity of the table conies into action first, which must subject this important part of the machine to shocks very unfavourable to the preservation of & perfectly true bearing. We submit that it would be better to make the table move in a radial line to the centre of the wheel, or at the least, in a tangent to a very small inner circle.
Splitting of Hides and Skins.—We have already noticed that after a sheep skin, or other raw hide, has been cleansed and purified from all extraneous matters, it undergoes a scraping and paring of its inner surface to give it a thinner or more uniform substance ; by these processes the subsequent dyeing and tanning are greatly facilitated. This reduction of the substance was once entirely, and is still partially, executed by means of a knife in the hands of workmen, some of whom are so dexterous es to be able at every stroke of the knife to tale off a shaving the whole breadth of the beam. The utmost exer tion of ordinary skill was, however, insufficient to prevent the frequent recur rence of unlucky cubs, by which the value of the skin was considerably lessened, and the pieces sliced or scraped off were only applicable to the making of glue. But by the introduction of machinery to effect this operation, the skin is now divided throughout its entire substance into two parts of equal extent, one of which is subsequently converted into leather, and the other into parchment ; at the same time the upper or hair side of the skin is thereby made smoother and of a more uniform thickness, which enhances its value.
During the last forty years a variety of highly ingenious machines have been constructed for this curious and apparently difficult operation. It is now about twenty-seven years ago that we saw a beautiful machine for this purpose at work in the extensive manufactory of the Messrs. Bevington, near Bermondsey, .the peculiar or essential features of which we shall be able to afford the reader an idea of in a few words.
Bevington's Splitting Machine.—In a stout A framing were mounted two horizontal rollers or cylinders, which were made to revolve in apposite direc tioni by means of pinions at one of their extremities gearing into each other. The lower roller was 'did and turned concentrically upon its -axis ; over this roller the skin in its wet state was spread out across its breadth, with its even side next to the roller, the uneven or flesh aide being uppermost. To give an uniform pressure to the uneven side of the skin, a species of flexibility was con ferred to the upper roller by compounding it of a series of circular metallic plates, like a roll of penny pieces, but which were about half an inch in thick ness, and three inches in diameter; each plate had two holm one in the centre, through which passed a fixed axis, smaller than the hole, in order that the plates might have a certain degree of play or of motion ; the other hole was about midway between the centre and the circumference, through which a rod passed freely, the extremities of which were so fixed to flanges at the extremity of the roller as to perform a planetary motion round the common centre of the plates; and as the rod passed through all the circular plates, they were all carried round with it, while the centre of motion of each individual plate, owing to the play given to them, were constantly being changed in pro portion to the thickness of that part of the skin pressed against it, by the revo lution of the lower inflexible roller. As the skin emerged from the bite between the rollers, it came in contact with the straight edge of a very sharp knife, to which a constant sawing-like motion was communicated by the revolution of a crank. The circular plates, which were turned with great truth, were not pressed fast laterally, but kept slack and well oiled, their sides sliding freely against one another, so that each individual plate pressed simply by its own gravity, in order that however varied the thickness of the skin, the pressure add be uniform over the whole surface.
By this arrrangement it will be observed, that the upper portion of the skin is the uneven one, and that the lower portion is the perfect skin, smooth, and uniform in all its parts. As a curiosity, and to show the capability of the machine, sheep-skins were sometimes split into three parts of equal area; the outside one being applicable to the preparation of several kinds of leather, the middle to the making of parchment, while that on the flesh side, from its inequality of thickness, and want of firmness, was only applicable to the making of glue.