Patent GB-191408559-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to the Treatment of Ramie, Flax, Hemp and like Plants for the Production of Fibre ready for Spinning.
Inventor: GOVAERTS EDOUARD PAUL
IPC: D01B1/22
Filed: 1914-04-04
Abstract: 8559. Govaerts, E. P., and Dryepondt, G. A. M. April 4. Decorticating ramie, flax, &c.-The stalks are first passed through a machine which strips off the leaves, crushes and washes the stalks, and squeezes out some of the agglutinative and fermentable matters. They are then, after being soaked for a short time, treated in a second machine, wherein the stalks are malaxated, washed, and crushed, and after being dried. are passed through a third machine, in which wood and bark is completely separated from the fibres. The material is finally passed through a fourth machine, comprising a series of fluted rollers, whereby they are rendered supple and suitable for use in spinning, ropemaking, &c. The first machine, which is mounted on wheels D, Fig. 1, to be portable, comprises a series of crushing-rollers A, preferably arranged in a staggered formation to give an undulatory movement to the material. The upper rollers are mounted in adjustable spring-pressed sliding bearings E. Supports H<2> can be lowered by a screw 1 to support the machine and to raise the wheels r from the ground, to enable them to be used as hand-driving wheels to operate the rollers through suitable gearing. The stalks are placed on a feed table 5 sliding on a frame 6. The table 5, when pushed forward, causes the roller B to be driven by a gear 8 and to draw the stalks forward through combs C, C<1> to strip off the leaves. The upper comb C<1> is mounted on a handle 7 and can be raised. The material is fed between the rollers and is crushed by them, the liquids expressed falling into a tank 12, whence they can be passed through a pipe 13 into the irrigation furrows. Water is supplied through pipes 11 to wash the rollers A and scrapers 10 are provided. The material passes out of the machine over a table 14. The stalks are then washed, in a stream or tank provided with stirrers, for a short time, and are treated in the second machine, which comprises a vat G', Fig. 2, with bars B under which the bundles of material are placed. Water is supplied to the vat through a pipe D<1> and the surplus is drained off through a siphon Z. A. sluice door O allows the sludge &c. in the vat to be drained off. The material removed from the vat is placed on the pivoted table F, which is then tilted to slide the material root end first between the rollers J. Warm water is supplied through pipes X to the rollers to wash away the expressed juices into the tank H<1>, whence they pass through a siphon G into the vat G'. The liquid in the tank H<1> is agitated by a stirrer I and by the lower rollers J, which dip into the liquid. The upper rollers J are spring pressed. The last juices are squeezed out by rollers J<1> provided with scrapers U and fall into a special tank O<1> with a discharge pipe P. The last two pairs of rollers J<2>, J<3> are provided with well rounded flutings and are furnished with caoutchouc springs regulated by screws L<2>, L'. The material is delivered onto an apron K and is then dried. The third machine employed comprises a tilting feed table 20, Fig. 3, which passes the material to grooved rollers 23, which can be driven first in one direction and then in the other by rollers 31, which can be made by a lever 35 to engage either an interior groove 30 in a gear 24 or an exterior groove in a boss on the shaft 25 of the gear. The lever is counterweighted to bring the rollers 31 back into an intermediate inoperative position. The gear 24 drives in a constant direction a number of beaters 29, comprising fluted drums loosely mounted on shafts T carried at the extremities of arms 50. The material fed into the machine is passed by the rollers 23 to the beaters 29 on the left. The direction of rotation of the rollers 23 is then reversed, and the material passed to the beaters 29 on the right to enable the other end to be treated. The direction of the rotation of the rollers is once more reversed and a pedal 40 is operated to tilt the delivery table 42 to receive the treated material. Plates 43 are provided between the rollers 23, and for short materials the central fluted rollers may be omitted and replaced by an endless band. To render the material supple, it is passed in the dry state through a pair of coupled machines comprising fluted rollers, the first with two pairs of rollers, and the second with a number of small rollers arranged round a large central roller. The machines are enclosed in a cover from which the dust may be removed by suction.