Several variations in the above-described method of liming have been proposed. The hides may be suspended on laths, or by strings attached to pegs or notches, and the liquor agitated by plunging in place of hauling. Probably this is an actual improvement, especially if some mechanical agitating contrivance be substituted for hand plunging. It has, however, the drawback that much room is required, though this may be, to some extent, compensated by the hides liming more quickly. The method has been long in use in America, and had been tried in several places in England before the patent of Messrs. Conyers and Pullein was obtained. Two other American labour-saving methods in connection with liming may be mentioned here. One is to have the liming-vat double the ordinary size, and, instead of hauling the hides, to simply draw them from one side to the other by two strings, which are attached to the fore and hind shank of each hide, either by sharp iron hooks or by loops. The strings are looped over iron rods at the four corners of the pit, or have simple knots, which are placed in notches sawn in wood. Of course, while the hides are at one side of the pit, the other side may be plunged or warmed. The other method (Fig. 24) is to have a spindle sunk below the surface of the liquor, and with discs A, at each end, to which the hides or sides are attached by hooks set round the edges. The hides are turned over by revolving the spindle with a handspike inserted in the holes C, at the ends of the cross-arms B, and the whole spindle is also capable of being raised and lowered in the liquor, in the slot D. In Germany, hides are frequently suspended on laths radiating from a central upright revolving spindle in a round vat (_Drehkalk_).