Central Bucks MBIT Students Invent Collapsible Hide Tumbler

Jun 02, 2023

JAMISON, PA — Three Central Bucks School District students enrolled in the Engineering-Related Technology program at the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology have successfully designed, developed and patented a collapsible hide tumbler in partnership with the Ornithology Department at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

A hide tumbler is a device that is used to process bird skins by tumbling them in sawdust to soften and dry the hides for further processing. Hide tumbling is an important process in preserving a wide selection of bird specimens for research. The bird collection at the Academy is the largest in the western hemisphere, containing more than 200,000 samples.

In the fall of 2021, MBIT engineering students collaborated with Dr. Nate Rice, the OrnithologyCollection Manager at the Academy, to discuss the construction of a motorized hide tumbler.Dr. Rice conveyed to the students the limits of the available lab space for such a machine aswell as the technical requirements for the device. The students began to prototype theirdesigns in order to create a hide tumbler that met the form factor and specifications of theAcademy.

Students show off the Tumbler at the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg.

The Academy was looking for alternatives to installing a larger, industrial tumbler in order topreserve limited lab space while still automating what had been a labor-intensive, manualprocess.

"A hide tumbler is a critical tool for preparing and preserving bird specimens at the Academy,"Dr. Rice said. "But our challenge, as is the case with most labs and taxidermy shops, is thatspace is at a premium. The students did a great job of taking the time to learn about theproblem and to come up with a viable solution. It was an honor to work with the students andMr. Ostrow and I’ll look forward to more collaboration in the future."

The engineering students - Merrick Simmons from Central Bucks South, Cole Kujath from Central Bucks West and Daniel Kmet a 2022 graduate of Central Bucks West - took on the design challenge and invented a collapsible hide tumbler that was custom-built to the available space.

After many design meetings and revisions, the students completed a prototype in May of 2022. They brought the machine to the Academy in May 2022 for Dr. Rice to review and critique.

With the Tumbler at the State Capitol in Harrisburg.

The students created a machine that is collapsible, has very a small footprint, is simple and safe to operate, and can be powered by a wall outlet, battery, or manual hand crank. By having various options to power the device, it is able to be used both in the lab at the Academy and in the field.

In March 2023 the students met with MBIT Occupational Advisory Committee (OAC) member and Intellectual Property Engineer, Dave Shoneman. Shoneman spoke about the Patent Process and Intellectual property rights. The students realized the unique and innovative nature of their design, and filed for a provisional patent for the tumbler.

"It's been a great journey for our Engineering students and a point of pride for the program. This is a great story of a high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) program working in partnership with such a great science institution," said Engineering Related Technology Instructor, Alan Ostrow

"Middle Bucks Institute of Technology was thrilled to partner with the Academy of Natural Sciences on this project. Students in career and technical education thrive when given the opportunity to complete live work as students must hone their technical skills and their employability skills with customers and clients. In this case, our Engineering RelatedTechnology students had to solve two problems, how to automate a process and how to designthe automation to fit into a limited footprint," said Administrative Director of Middle Bucks Institute of Technology Dr. Mark Covelle

"The result is a hide tumbler that the Ornithology Department can use to support their incredible work. The students’ vision, with the support of their incredible teacher Mr. Alan Ostrow, is so unique and innovative it was awarded a provisional patent. Career technical education is more than just 'hands-on' learning, it is real-world learning with authentic experiences for students. I am so proud of these students and their teacher for their ingenuity, determination, and problem-solving ability. Not many high school students will graduate with a patent in their name; at MBIT, three students will have this distinct honor," said Administrative Director of Middle Bucks Institute of Technology," said Covelle.

From left: 2022 Engineering Graduate Daniel Kmet, Dr. Nate Nice, and Merrick Simmons current engineering student. (Submitted)