be taken not to let the hot liquor touch the leather, as it would infallibly spoil the skin. If the spotting or figuring is required to be reversed, that is to say, the spots preserved of the natural colour, or first colour of the ground, while the ground itself shall be made to take another dye; a plain board must be prepared, and the form the intended spots, figures, &c. being cut in wood, cork, leather, or any other proper substance, and nailed úpon the face of the skin to the board itself, agreeably to the intended pattern. The board is to be suspended as before ; but in this case, as the skin is attached to the under side of the board, this last must not be suffered to float, because the skin would by such treatment be brought into contact with the hot dye, but the descent must be managed with great care, so as to produce the intended effect without damage. When the skins are thus dyed, tinged, or spotted, of all colours and forms, they are to be well washed, and hung up to dry. When the skins are dry, they are dressed by well beating on the wool side to hollow and raise it; after which the skin is to be fixed on the edge of a board, of a proper size, and the wool combed throughout with a large coarse comb, and smoothed with a pair of hand-cards, and the edges neatly cut. Those skins which are intended to be joined or united must be carefully matched as to colour, length, and thickness, of, wool, and placed on a table with the leather side upwards, the edges of the skins brought together, and sewed with strong waxed thread, a little below the edge, which is then to be turned over, and rubbed down close. This method answers two purposes; the seam is concealed, and the stitches are prevented from wearing. The last-mentioned effect may be produced in various other ways, such as by leather pasted and sewed

colouring, and joining, the Skins of Sheep and Lambs. 331

in stripes over the seams, but I have found the above to be the most simple, and to answer the purpose best. After the said skins have been prepared by the use of oak or other barks, shumach, minerals, or other fit substance, or tawed with allum, salt, or other materials, or treated in any of the customary methods used or known for the purpose of fixing the wool or hair upon the same, and preventing them from putrefying or decaying, and after the same have been coloured, dressed, and joined, as aforesaid, I manufacture the following articles as the products of this my said invention.

First, I simply join or unite the skins of the dimensions required for common carriage-rugs, hearth-rugs, mats for doors, bed - sides, mattrasses, coachmen's - aprons, water-proof mats for covering trunks, &c. hammercloths, and a variety of other articles, either of the plain, natural colour, or of any fancy colour, &c.

Secondly, I make rugs, and other pieces, with pockets or muffs for the feet, by folding or turning the wool sideof the skin in the form of a pocket or basket, securing it by means of buckles and straps, and facing the folded part with prepared leather, or part of the same skin, &c. This article may be used at pleasure, either folded or

open.

Thirdly, I make rugs or carpets for carriages, joinea with two or more skins, to the size intended, with the pockets or baskets for feet, and lined on the leather side with prepared leather, stitched or quilted down, secured with buckles and straps, and intended to be used for a summer mat as well as for winter, by turning the leather side upwards in warm weather, and the wool side, with the pockets buckled up, in cold.

Fourthly, I make rugs or carpets for doors, carriages, and hearths, of a single skin, plain or coloured.

Fifthly, I substitute my said pieces for door mats, to fit the door cases, by joining and cutting to fit and strengthen the corners.

Sixthly, I construct feet-baskets, or receptacles, by folding a skin to fit the feet, securing it by buckles and straps, which may be loosened at pleasure, and the piece used as a mat, wrapper, cushion, or for any purpose requiring warmth or protection,

Seventhly, I apply my invention for urn-rugs, tablemats, &c. cut to the desired form, and covered on the leather side with prepared leather, pasted down,

Eighthly, I use the same for boots and shoes, or other warm coverings for the feet, made open in the front, as far as the joints of the toes, to be fastened with strings, buttons, or laced, &c. to inclose the foot and shoe,

Ninthly, I make muffs with sheep skins, and line the same with lamb skins.

Tenthly, I make three sorts of shoe-socks, or soles, for the feet. First, of sheep's skin, stiffened on the leather side with glue, paste, &c. the wool and leather being cut to fit the shoe. Second, of sheep skin, stiffened and shaped as above, with prepared leather, paper, pasteboard, with a piece of painted canvas, thin wood, &c. to render them water-proof between the two leathers, or any other substance, pasted or glued, or sewed on the leather side. Third, of fine lamb-skin stiffened, the edges cut or uncut, prepared with leather, or other strengthening materials, as the second article, on the back, and stitched for security at the edges, &c.

In witness whereof, &c.

Specification

Specification of the Patent granted to JOHN SCOTT and JAMES CLARKSON, of Lower-street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex, Brick-makers, WILLIAM TATHAM, of Staple's Inn Buildings, Holborn, in the said County of Middlesex, Esquire, and SAMUEL MELLISH, of Holborn, court, Grays Inn, in the said County of Middlesex, Gentleman; for certain Articles, denominated Tatham's Clumps, for the Purpose of constructing Water Pipes, Sewers, Tunnels, Wells, Conduits, Reservoirs, or other circular Walls, Shells, or Buildings, by various Modifications of the said Invention, by Means of divers Methods of Shoulderings, Securings, and Combinations of Earth, Stone, Plaster, Cements, Composition, Kilnburnt Materials, &c. keyed together by Means of Wedges, Joints, Clumps, or other Fastenings, so that all the Pieces may be combined together in forming one strong and secure Utensil, Apparatus, or Contrivance, for constructing circular Walls, Columns, Rollers, and for attaining hydraulic Communications, or resisting the Ap plication of any reasonable Force with Effect.

Dated December 21, 1802.

To all to whom these presents shall come, &c. Now KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we the said John Scott and James Clarkson, William. Tatham, and Samuel Mellish, do hereby declare that the invention claimed and set forth by us does and do consist in so shaping, forming, moulding, modelling, hewing, or cutting, the material intending to be formed into Tatham's clumps, to be used in constructing the building, utensil, or apparatus designed, that the sides or edges thereof, when made and completed, shall join

and

and fit to each other on an exact radius of a circle, terminating at its centre; so that when all the said parts are put together with or without mortar or cement, the said several clumps will form a direct circle, bearing pressure inwards on the principle of an arch; and that when the several layers, courses, or distinct circles thereof shall be fitted and adjusted in their proper places, such will form what is termed a broken joint in the wall or shell, so that the same will alternately clamp or join the courses next adjacent to them together, to prevent their removal sideways. And farther, that being fitted to each other on their flat sides, alternate male and female (see drawing annexed), by means of the shoulderings or wedgewise-securings, and abutments, which will be better and more clearly understood by a view of the drawings annexed to these presents, and to which we hereafter particularly refer; the same will bear and resist a pressure outwards from any application of a reasonable force. And we do farther declare, that such and the foregoing is the principle or principles on which we claim and assert our patent-right to the same, admitting of various and easy modifications for the joining and connecting of branches, terminations, abutments, shoulderings, fastenings, girders, returns, or other modifications of the work, where it may be necessary to terminate or break the circle or segment thereof, or in any way to secure the same, by means of key-clumps, blank - sides, iron flanches, bolts, nuts, screws, or other securings. And farther we declare, that we have agreed to make known the same by the name or technical term of "Tatham's Clumps," in honour and respect to the said William Tatham, the principal inventor thereof. And moreover we do declare, that we hold and consider the same peculiarly superior for the formation of the following articles or

buildings,