HORIZONTAL BED POWER ASSIST HIDE APPLICATOR

摘要

A mechanized power assisted apparatus for flattening and stretching wet tanned hides on a smooth flat horizontal bed of a vacuum hide drier preparatory to drying in the course of leather manufacture. The apparatus includes a support holding a squeegee-type slicker element for positioning closely adjacent to a hide-carrying drier bed. The slicker element has a smooth straight edge which is rotatable in a plane parallel to the surface of the plate. The slicker support is associated with a power travel drive system for moving the support in a plane parallel to and spaced from the surface of the hide-carrying bed and over a hide supported on that bed. A power thrust system is associated with the slicker element for moving the element into and out of contact with the wet hide and for exerting force on the slicker element. Spaced apart controls are provided for actuating the power assist systems for manipulating the slicker element over the surface of the hide in simulation of manual hide application. The present invention provides for the flattening and stretching of wet hides on horizontal surfaces of a hide dryer relative to the use of vertical surfaces in the prior art.