Patented Feb. 19, 1935 1992,131 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1992,131 LEATHER, DRESSING COMPOSITION Emi Sajak, Dresden, Germany No Drawing. Application September 25, 1930, Serial No. 484,466. In Germany August 31, 1929 8 Claims. (C. 149-6) This invention relates to a leather-dressing oils. They are extremely stable. They contain composition, applicable to both ordinary or oak very little free fatty acid, and they have almost tanned and chrome tanned leathers, for example no tendency to "gum' on exposure. They are for leather wearing apparel, upholstery leather, capable of dissolving large quantities of solid 5 footwear, and other forms in which leather is Waxes, and such a solution is extremely well employed, the object of the present invention adapted for preserving leather and for render being to render the leather soft, pliable, tough ing it soft, pliable and waterproof. Such a solu and -Waterproof. tion is also particularly suitable, especially for By “liquid wax' as used herein are meant cer footwear and other wearing apparel, owing to its 0. tain substances, neither oils nor fats which have low heat conductivity. O certain physical and chemical properties. These If castor oil is added to such a solution, the substances, so far as now known are the So called further advantage is obtained that the proper 'sperm oil' and the “bottle-nosed whale oil' the ties favourable to the preservation of leather, use of oil in these terms being a misnomer. These Viz. durability, low acid content and water re 5 two in smell, taste and color reactions resemble pellent action are retained. The undesirable 5 the well known train oils but have a specific properties, viz. high viscosity and tendency to gravity of only 0.875 to 0.884 and are of astonish 'gum' and to form a tough adhesive gummy ingly low viscosity less influenced by tempera coating, are eliminated. ture changes than the train oils. The Waxy na Castor oil has a favourable action on the waxes, 20 ture shows in the degree of saponification and particularly on liquid waxes, by raising the low 20 they yield only 60 to 65 percent of fatty acids. visCOsity and enabling the waxes to adhere more They are highly resistant to oxidization and the firmly to the leather. iodine figure is only 80 to 87. The improved leather-dressing composition Waxes have already been used for leather meets all the requirements of a satisfactory dress dressing, solid waxes being only used in con ing composition. The improved composition ren junction with fats or oils or when dissolved in ders the leather tough, soft and pliable and pro benzine or turpentine, while sperm oil has been tects it in its chemical State, i.e. against the oxi used in tanneries for fat-liquoring and greasing dizing action of the atmosphere and against the the hides. Liquid waxes alone, such as the latter, de-tanning effect of acids or alkalis; it also 30 penetrate through the leather and make it oily makes the leather waterproof, causes it to retain 30 to the touch. Solutions of solid waxes in benzine, its ventilating properties and protects it from turpentine or the like are not stable, because the premature mechanical wear; it also makes it more solvent evaporates again, causing the waxes to effective as a heat insulator. It contains no readi become hard and to impart brittleness to the ly volatile constituents, which by evaporation 35 leather. When combined with oils and fats they would permitsubstances dissolved therein to re- : can only be employed inefficiently in Small turn to their previous hard consistency and thus amounts, consequently the glycerides which form render the leather brittle. It also contains no the chief constituents are easily decomposed and solvents which would, for example, dissolve the the leather is thus not permanently protected. pitch used in closing the seams in footwear, as 40 The present invention consists in the employ well as also containing no substances which tend 40 ment of a solution or mixture of Solid waxes in to absorb water. It remains unchanged and of liquid waxes to which animal or vegetable fats the same consistency in the leather and excel or oils, preferably castor oil, can be added. The lently protects the leather, each fibre of the leath liquid waxes which may be employed may be, er being enveloped in a Wax protective coating. for example, d6gling's oil (hyperoodon rostratus' Leather which is impregnated with this dressing 45 oil), or sperm oil. These oils are of animal origin composition does not become hard, even when left and although termed oils they really belong to long in water. On the other hand, leather which the wax class, because they contain either none has become hard by lying in Water, can be made or very little glycerine, but in place thereof have soft again by treatment with this dressing con about 32 to 43% of a monovalent high molecular position. One of its particular advantages is that 50 alcohol, viz. cetyl alcohol, which contrary to it protects the leather against the action of caus glycerine is insoluble in water. The liquid waxes tic alkalis. As waxes are not decomposed at ordi have a very low specific gravity (0.875-0.884), nary temperatures by caustic alkalis and the and very low viscosity, which is less affected by fibres of the leather treated with this dressing variations in temperature than that of the fatty composition are enveloped in a wax coating, the 2 1,992,131 alkalis are unable to reach the substance of the and 15% of carnauba wax in 70% liquid wax is leather and to decompose it. This is of great im exceptionally good for rendering hard leather portance to gardeners and agricultural workers, waterproof, such as sole leather and leather belt who have to work with artificial manures contain ing. It renders it elastic but not so soft that it ing lime and also builders' workmen who handle is not suitable for the purpose for which it is to line. be employed as sole leather or leather belting. The following are examples of the improved I claim: dressing composition:- 1. A leather-dressing composition comprising a 2.5 parts by weight each of bees wax and sper mixture of Solid waxes in Sperm oil and castor oil. 10 maceti in 95 parts of Sperm oil may be employed, 2. A leather-dressing composition comprising O for example, for Snow boots, motor leathers and a mixture of Solid waxes in approximately equal leather Coats. parts of sperm oil and castor oil. 5 parts each of bees wax and spermaceti in 90 3. A leather-dressing composition comprising parts of sperm oil may be used as a thicker oil a mixture of Solid waxes, sperm oil, castor oil and 5 for stronger boots, Such as fishing bootS and WOrk animal fat. men's boots. 4. A leather-dressing composition comprising a 5 7.5 parts each of bees Wax and Spermaceti in 85 mixture of solid waxes, sperm oil, castor oil and parts of sperm oil in the form of a cream may be animal fat, the castor oil and animal fat being used in summer and for the fishing and building approximately in equal proportions. 20 trades. 5. A leather-dressing composition comprising a 2.5 parts each of bees wax and spermaceti in 50 mixture of not more than 30% of solid wax to not 20 parts of sperm oil and 45 parts of castor oil forms less than 70% of liquid wax. a viscous liquid dressing for Snow boots and 6. A leather-dressing composition comprising leather coats. a mixture of bees Wax and Spermaceti in Sperm oil 25 5 parts each of bees wax and spermaceti in 50 7. A leather-dressing composition comprising parts of sperm oil and 40 parts of castor oil, 20 a mixture of beeswax and Spernaceti in Sperm oil 25 parts of which may be replaced by animal fats, and castor oil. can be employed in the form of a cream in trades 8. A leather-dressing composition comprising which have to work in water and Wet grass, Such approximately equal parts of bees wax and Sper 30 as anglers, hunters, fishers and agricultural maceti in Sperm oil, castor oil and animal fat. WorkerS. 30 A solution of about 15% by weight of bees Wax EMI SAJAK. .