Abstract: A mechanism, giving less environmental load, for treating animal fibers of a continuous web form so as not to spoil inherent properties of the animal fibers such as hand-feeling and water repellency, so as to improve resistance to felting (shrinkage) and pilling. The mechanism includes: a tank filled with a treatment liquid; a net-conveyor having upper and lower mesh belts put one upon the other to sandwich the continuous web form therebetween for conveying the web form through the liquid of the tank; a treating-liquid circulation system including a gas-liquid mixing pump connected to a suction-port in the tank and pumping out the liquid, a static mixer connected downstream of the pump, and a discharge nozzle placed at a position in the tank facing the suction-port with the mesh belts therebetween, the discharge nozzle being connected downstream of the mixer; and an ozonizer for supplying ozone gas into the system.

Abstract: A process for treating animal hides includes spreading the hides (1) to be treated astride respective supporting plates (2) and introducing the plates into a container (10). Afterwards, the container (10) is closed hermetically and set under vacuum. A liquid solution is introduced into the container (10), to treat the hides, in particular to transform fresh animal hides into wet white state. The container (10) is driven into vibration, to make the solution contained in the container (10) move in a continuous and uniform way.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a method of removing hair from an animal pelt in which liquified gas is applied to the fleshy side of the pelt to freeze the pelt to a temperature at which hair pores of the skin open. The application of the liquid gas to the pelt may be facilitated by placing the pelt on a conveyor having perforations, applying suction to the pelt through the perforations to secure the pelt to the conveyor, and applying the liquified gas to the pelt through the perforations. Furthermore, the application of the liquified gas to the pelt may be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the pelt is frozen to a temperature between 0.degree. and -20.degree. Celsius. In the second phase, the pelt is frozen to a temperature between -20.degree. and -220.degree. Celsius. Finally, after the pelt has been frozen, the hair may be removed with an appropriate hair removing device such as a comb, blade or brush.

Abstract: A skin washer having a conveyor belt which carries a skin from a loading station to and through a washing station with back-up members for the conveyor belt at the washing station. A plurality of driven brush rollers, located to deflect the conveyor belt between the back-up members, cause a partial wrap of a skin carried by the conveyor belt around the brush rollers for good cleaning action by the brush rollers. The skin washer includes a reversible drive for a first of the brush rollers whereby the first brush roller rotates in a skin-advancing direction as a skin is conveyed into the washing station and thereafter is caused to rotate in a direction opposite to that of skin travel for exerting a retarding force on the trailing portion of the skin.