Drying press for hides

A drying press comprising an upper and a lower endless drying felt passed over rolls and pressed against each other by a pair of press rolls to form a drying press gap for hides which are passed therethrough, the lower drying felt extending upstream of the drying press gap, and hide stretching means positioned upstream of the gap and above the lower felt, said hide stretching means comprising

• a lower stretcher, serving to lift hides off the lower drying felt, extending transversely above the lower drying felt, said lower stretcher comprising a pair of endless belts disposed in a displaceable frame, said belts being arranged so as to move in opposite directions transverse the direction of feed and at a velocity on the order of at least twice the velocity of the drying felts, said frame including a frame member arranged so that on either side of its center it guides the belts so that the outward moving belt is exposed and the inward moving belt is covered in order that a hide to be conveyed may rest upon the exposed belt portions, said frame being displaceable in the downstream direction on and by link arms;
• an upper stretcher which in the final position of the downstream displacement of said lower stretcher is located above the lower stretcher such that the upper and lower stretchers may grip hides therebetween and stretch hides in opposite transverse directions relative to the direction of feed of the hides, said upper stretcher comprising a pair of brush belts arranged on either side of the longitudinal center axis of said press, the lower runs of said brush belts moving from the center towards the sides at substantially the same velocity as said endless belts;
• and
• a vertically displaceable press roller disposed between said brush belts.