APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR STRETCHING A PELT ON A PELT BOARD

An apparatus and a method for fixating a stretched pelt on a pelt board by means of a tubular plastics sleeve, which two outwardly extending flanges. The pelt has a substantially tubular shape, which defines an inwardly orientated leather side, an outwardly orientated fur side, a nose end and a rear end. The pelt board defines a top end for accommodating and fixating the nose end of the pelt, a circumferential wall for facing the inwardly orientated leather side of the pelt and a base end located opposite the top end. The apparatus comprises a holding device for holding the base end of the pelt board, and further comprises a fixating device which has a pair of gripping members. Each of the gripping members is adapted for gripping a respective flange of the tubular plastic sleeve, as the sleeve is loosely positioned in a first position at the top end of the pelt board on the pelt at the nose end thereof, and for pulling the flanges apart for widening the tubular plastics sleeve, moving the sleeve from the first position at the top end to a second position at the base end of the pelt board and disengaging the gripping members from the flanges for allowing the sleeve to reform towards its original shape and in doing so, firmly engaging with the outwardly orientated first side of the pelt at the rear end thereof.