Animal skin substrate treatment apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10287642-B2
Application number	US-201515510569-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2015
Priority date	Oct 10, 2014
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for the treatment of animal skin substrates which employs a multiplicity of solid particles. There is disclosed an apparatus for treating one or more animal skin substrates with a multiplicity of solid particles and treatment liquor comprising: a rotatably mounted drum comprising an internal volume having a first portion defining a treatment volume for retaining said animal substrates and a second portion defining a collecting volume; one or more inlets for introducing solid particles and treatment liquor into said treatment volume; a partition separating said treatment volume from said collecting volume wherein said partition allows free passage of solid particles from the treatment volume to the collecting volume and prevents the passage of the substrates therethrough; a circulation path for conveying said solid particles from the collecting volume to the treatment volume; and a pumping device arranged to pump solid particles and said treatment liquor along a portion of said circulation path.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for treating one or more animal skin substrates with a multiplicity of solid particles and treatment liquor comprising:
a rotatably mounted drum comprising an internal volume having a first portion defining a treatment volume for retaining said animal substrates and a second portion defining a collecting volume, wherein the side-walls of said drum are not perforate;
one or more inlets for introducing solid particles and treatment liquor into said treatment volume;
a partition separating said treatment volume from said collecting volume wherein said partition allows free passage of solid particles from the treatment volume to the collecting volume and prevents the passage of the substrate(s) therethrough;
a circulation path for conveying said solid particles from the collecting volume to the treatment volume; and
a pumping device arranged to pump solid particles and said treatment liquor along a portion of said circulation path.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circulation path provides a flow of solid particles from the collecting volume to the treatment volume and then to the collecting volume.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circulation path provides a flow of treatment liquor from the collecting volume to the treatment volume and then to the collecting volume.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a processing system in said circulation path wherein said processing system receives said treatment liquor and said solid particles from the collecting volume of said drum.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said processing system comprises a separator configured to separate at least a portion of said treatment liquor from said solid particles.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a storage vessel for retaining said solid particles and a dispenser to introduce said solid particles to said treatment volume.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a first portion of the circulation path comprises a conduit having an inlet disposed proximate the lowermost part of the collecting volume, the conduit extending from said collecting volume.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 comprising a first such conduit provided for conveying solid particles.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 comprising one or more such conduits for conveying both treatment liquor and solid particles.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drum has an upper portion comprising at least one inlet to introduce said solid particles into said treatment volume and at least one inlet for receiving treatment liquor into said treatment volume.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said drum has an upper portion comprising at least one inlet to introduce said solid particles into said treatment volume and at least one inlet for receiving treatment liquor into said treatment volume, and wherein said dispenser communicates with said at least one inlet of said upper portion to introduce said solid particles into said treatment volume.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said apparatus comprises a conduit extending from an outlet of the processing system wherein said conduit is connected to an inlet of the upper portion of the drum.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said processing system comprises a device for removing residual treatment liquor and deposits from said solid particles.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said processing system comprises one or more outlets for discharging treatment liquor and/or unwanted matter produced during the treatment process.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drum comprises a closure moveable between an open position and a closed position wherein when said closure is moved to said open position free passage of solid particles and fluids into the collecting volume from the treatment volume is permitted and wherein when said closure is moved to said closed position solid particles are prevented from passing into the collecting volume from the treatment volume whilst the passage of fluids into the collecting volume from the treatment volume is permitted.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drum comprises a closure moveable between an open position and a closed position wherein when said closure is moved to said open position free passage of solid particles and fluids into the collecting volume from the treatment volume is permitted and wherein when said closure is moved to said closed position any solid particles and fluids in the treatment volume are retained in the treatment volume.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drum is configured to rotate about an axis which is inclined to the horizontal.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein a major portion of the treatment volume extends above the collecting volume.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pumping device is arranged in the circulation path external to the drum.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said partition divides the internal volume of the drum into two portions respectively located at a first end and a second end.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein treatment liquor and solid particulate material enter and exit the internal volume of the drum from first and second end regions of the drum.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said partition comprises a plurality of apertures.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein said partition is in the form of a perforate or reticulate screen.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein said apertures have a maximum dimension of from about 2 to 125 mm, or from about 26 mm to about 125 mm.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said partition comprises metal, metal alloy, plastic, fibreglass, composite or polymeric materials.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said partition is arranged to be perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said drum and/or wherein said partition is planar.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said solid particles can be re-used one or more times for treatment of the animal skin substrate(s) in, with or by the apparatus of the invention.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said solid particles have an average particle diameter of from 1 mm to 100 mm and/or wherein said solid particles have a length of from 1 mm to 100 mm.

29. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the solid particles comprise a multiplicity of polymeric particles, a multiplicity of non-polymeric particles or a mixture of a multiplicity of polymeric and non-polymeric particles.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drum has a capacity of from 500 to 200,000 liters.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said treatment volume comprises at least 50% of said internal volume of said drum.

32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said collecting volume comprises not more than 30% of said internal volume of said drum.

33. A method of separating a multiplicity of solid particles from one or more animal skin substrates during a treatment process comprising:
agitating said animal skin substrates with a m

Assignees

• Xeros Ltd

Inventors

• Scott Iain Alexander

Classifications

• D06P1/00

  General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed · CPC title

• D06P3/32

  leather {skins} · CPC title

• C14C3/00

  Tanning; Compositions for tanning · CPC title

• C14C15/00 Primary

  Apparatus for chemical treatment or washing of hides, skins, or leather · CPC title

• C14B1/00 Primary

  Manufacture of leather; Machines or devices therefor {(machines specially adapted for forming upper shoe blanks or shoe leggings by stretching A43D8/003)} · CPC title