(57) In the heat treatment of leather, a piece of leather is placed on a frame and attached
thereto by a plurality of clips so that the leather lies substantially flat on the
frame. The frame and the leather are subjected to heat treatment and shape memory
effect (SME) elements serve to apply stretching forces to the piece of leather. A suitable clip comprises a first part which is securable to the frame, a second part
which is movable relative to the first part and grips the leather and an SME element
which in its transition range of temperatures displaces the second part relative to
the first part to stretch the leather.
|

|