Implement for processing fur

Application filed September

In the processing of pelts for use in garments and the like it is usual to comb the dampened fur of the pelt and to then iron it with a hot iron. To attain the best results, 5 these operations must be performed substantially simultaneously so that the dampened fur has no opportunity to dry between the time when it is combed and that when it is ironed, and since the fur is initially dampened but very slightly, any material delay in the application of the iron after the combing is completed affords an opportunity for the fur to dry out to an extent where redampening is required if a satisfactory result is ¹⁵ to be obtained. Consequently, particularly when processing large pelts, only a part thereof can be combed and ironed at a time, as, if the pelt is fully combed and then ironed it has ordinarily dried out too much, espe-⁰ cially in the vicinity of the parts which were combed first, to permit of a successful, satisfactory ironing operation; on the other hand, if but a small portion of the pelt is combed and then ironed immediately before it has ²⁵ had a chance to dry out, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to give the pelt the same appearance throughout its extent, a condition which, of course, is eminently desirable where the pelt is to be employed in ³⁰ garment manufacture or the like.

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide an iniplement for use in the processing of fur by the means of which the difficulties to which I have referred ³⁵ may be entirely obviated and which, additionally, is effective in reducing the time required for the processing of a given'pelt with corresponding reduction in the cost thereof.

Other objects, advantages and novel fea⁴⁰ tures of design and construction comprehended by my invention are hereinafter more particularly mentioned or will be apparent from the following description of an implement constructed in accordance therewith ^-> and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the said drawing Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section through the jmple_n0 ment with certain parts shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the implement;

19,1929. Serial No. 393,712.

Fig. 3 a bottom plan view thereof on a reduced scale and Fig. 4 a horizontal section substantially on the line 4—4 in Fig. 1, the same characters of reference being used to designate the same parts in the several figures. ⁵⁵

As will be readily apparent from an inspection of the drawing, the implement in its preferred embodiment as therein shown to some extent resembles an electrically heated flat iron and thus comprises a relatively ⁶⁰heavy base 1, desirably of cast iron or the like, and having parallel upper and lower faces respectively designated as 2 and 3; the lower face of the base is preferably smoothly finished and polished so as to effect a suitable ⁶⁵contact with the fur while the upper face may be left rough. - In planary outline, as best shown in Fig. 3, the base generally conforms in shape to the ordinary flat iron, the sides being parallel or substantially so for a ⁷⁰considerable distance from its rear end and then converging oppositely inwardly to form a point or nose; beneath this nose the base is cut away inwardly or upwardly from its hottom face 3 to provide a recess 4 which thus ⁷lies under the correspondingly thinner nose 1' of the base.

The base of the implement is adapted to be operatively heated in any suitable way and for this purpose, therefore, a heating element ⁸⁰of any suitable, type may preferably be disposed adjacent the upper face of the base where electricity is utilized as the heating medium as hereinafter more fully described. However, it will be understood that it is en- ⁸⁵tirely within the scope and purview of my invention to utilize gas for heating the base in a manner generally similar to that employed in heating gas flat irons and the like, or, under certain circumstances, it may be preferred to ⁹⁰heat the base of the element by placing it on a stove or the like in which case, of course, any self-contained means for effecting the heating function may be entirely omitted.

However, as stated, I prefer to utilize electricity under most conditions as a heating medium and, with that end in view and as shown in the drawing, a heating unit of suitable construction may be disposed upon or adjacent the upper surface of the base. This unit may

1,789,869 comprise a pair of laterally spaced strips of insulating material 6—6 extending longitudinally of the base and respectively wound with nichrome or other suitable resistance wire 7, _B the winding beginning at the rear end of one of the strips, continuing forwardly therealong, thence crossing to the other strip and finally terminating adjacent its rear end. The ends of the resistance wire are connected ₁₀ in the usual way to terminal pieces 8 carried by the strips from which in turn connection is made through, the usual plug 10 and socket 11, which latter is supported on the cover 12 of the implement, with a flexible conductor 13 16 extending to any desired source of electricity.

The strips 6—6 and their surrounding turns of resistance wire are disposed between a pair of plates 14—14 of mica or other insulating material on the uppermost of which is seated 2o a relatively heavy and thick weighting element 15 conforming generally in shape to the base of the implement but of smaller dimensions, while the lowermost plate 14 is desirably slightly spaced from the upper face 25 of the base by washers 16. The heating unit and weighting element 15 are enclosed by the hollow cover 12 which conforms in planary outline to the base and is held in position thereon by bolts 18 extending downwardly 30 through tne cover, the weighting element and resistance unit into the base, as best shpwn in Fig. 1, each of the bolts being surrounded where required by sleeves 19 of insulating material. A longitudinally extending handle 35 20 is disposed at a convenient distance above ' the rear end of the base and is maintained ip . position by a yoke 21 disposed on the cover and secured thereto by the bolts 18—18. The socket 11, as shown, is supported in any con40 venient way adj acent the rear end of the cover and may be secured to the yoke by a. screw 22 to hold it in position and in general enhance the rigidity of the assembly.

Thus the current passing into the imple45 ment through the flexible conductor 13 is effective to traverse the windings of resistance wire in the heating unit so as to heat the same and in turn the base of the implement in a manner generally similar to that 50 in which the bases of electric flat irons are heated, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. A thermostat or other like device for manually controlling the heat may be provided in the Customary way itylesired 65 but as the use of such devices is common, illustration thereof is omitted from the drawing for the sake of clearness.

z In the recess formed adjacent the nose of the base are disposed a plurality of fine, nor⁶⁰ mally vertically extending resilient pins or wires 30 which, in the aggregate, form a comb for combing the fur. These wires, which are preferably formed of suitable metal, are so arranged that their lower extremities lie ^e? slightly above the plane of the bottom face of the base, and are desirably preferably so supported as to enable their convenient detachment from the base to thereby facilitate repair or replacement. To this end, therefore, a supporting plate 31 may,be pro- _?vided substantially corresponding in planary outline to the nose of the implement so that when positioned in the recess below the nose it will generally conform thereto; this plate may be removably secured to the superjacent nose by small screws 32 disposed along its ‘ marginal edge and extending upwardly into the corresponding portion of the nose, and is drilled or otherwise perforated at a plurality of points for the passage of the wires forming _e0the comb._z The upper ends of the latter are either turned over at right angles against the upper face of the plate or else are enlarged and countersunk thereinto as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so that when the plate is secured in ₈₆the recess beneath the nose of the implement the wires will be securely maintained in position. Desirably, the perforations in the plate are so arranged that the wires are disposed more closely adjacent each other toward the 90 rear of the plate than at its forward end as best shown in Fig. 3.

To modify the heating effect on the pelt of the superjacent nose of the base above the comb and which because of its thinness is very 95 readily heated through by the heating unit, a shield 33 of asbestos or other heat insulating material is arranged beneath and desirably countersunk in the plate 31 and the wires extended therethrough; ordinarily this shield 100 requires no means other than the frictional engagement of the wires therewith to retain it in position, and it may therefore be readily removed and replaced with a new one in case it should at any time become damaged. ₁₀₅

The plate 31 at its apex may be provided ₇ with a downwardly extending preferably, integral fin 34 terminating, a little above the ends of the wires forming the comb and which is effective to prevent the implement no being tilted forwardly by a careless operator for an amount sufficient to bend the wires beyond their elastic limit and thus give them a permanent angular set or inclination.

In use, the implement after being heated 115 to the required degree is simply pushed forwardly over the dampened pelt so that-the hairs thereon are substantially simultaneously combed and ironed and are thus subjected to both operations while in the same condi- 120 tion as regards moisture or dampness, with the result that the processing of the fur irrespective of the size of the pelt is effected-un- . der the best possible conditions and with uniform and satisfactory results, while the⁸ 125 fact that the combing wires through the contact of their upper extremities with the heatr ed noge of the base are themselves warmed or heated to some extent, facilitates their proper passage through the dampened fur and tends, 130

1,789,869 to improve the ultimate appearance of the latter.

While I have herein described a preferred form of the invention with considerable par_{. ticularity, I do not thereby desire or intend to specifically limit myself to any precise details in the construction, arrangement and assembly of the various parts as the same are capable of modification in numerous particulars ₁₀ if the same be deemed desirable without departing from the spirit and' scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.