IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING FLAX HEMP AND OTHER FIRROITO MARESTATE
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to Peter Hubert. Desvignes, of Lewisham, in the
County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
PREPARING FLAX HEMP AND OTHER FIRROITO MARESTATE"
Sealed the 28th July 1857, and dated the 12th February 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Hubert Desvignes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th February 1857.
I, PETER HUBERT DESVIGNES, of Lewisham, in the County of Kent, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
POR PREPARING FLAX, HEMP, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for preparing
flax, hemp, and other fibrous materials. For these purposes the machinery is
arranged or combined in the following manner :-The flax, hemp, or other
fibrous material requiring like preparation, is caused to pass between pressing
rollers, then between one or more pairs of grooved rollers to break up the
outer surfaces of the fibrous material, and then between two rubbing surfaces.
extending across the machine. The rubbing surfaces are formed with
numerous small knobs or undulations, and are moved to and fro in opposite
directions. The fibrous material is then subjected to a beating process by
mechanical instruments in the following manner: A rotating cylinder is
employed having longitudinal beaters or projecting ribs formed thereon, which
in their rotation beat against the fibrous material, which is spread and moved

page_text: over the edges of a succession of inclined boards or plates, which move on
axes at their back edges, and by springs or other means the edges whereon
the fibrous material is supported are constantly borne towards the beaters or
projecting ribs on the cylinder, in such manner that when the beaters or ribs
strike the fibrous material on the edges of the boards or plates, such edges
will give way, and allow the beaters or projecting ribs to pass, when the edges
of the boards or plates will again move into position to be again and again
struck by the succeeding beaters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Hubert Desvignes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th August 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
HUBERT DESVIGNES, of Lewisham, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord.
'One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
'the said Peter Hubert Desvignes, Her special licence that I, the said Peter
Hubert Desvignes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Peter Hubert Desvignes, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY, FOR PREPARING FLAX, HEMP, AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter
Hubert Desvignes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Hubert Desvignes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-

page_text: This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for preparing
flax, hemp, and other fibrous materials. For these purposes the machinery is
arranged or combined in the following manner :-The flax, hemp, or other
fibrous material requiring like preparation, is caused to pass between pressing
rollers, then between one or more pairs of grooved rollers to break up the
outer surfaces of the fibrous material, and then between two rubbing sur-
faces extending across the machine. The rubbing surfaces are formed with
numerous small knobs or undulations, and are moved to and fro in opposite
directions. The fibrous material is then subjected to a beating process by
mechanical instruments in the following manner:-A rotating cylinder is
employed having longitudinal beaters or projecting ribs formed thereon, which
in their rotation beat against the fibrous material, which is spread and moved
over the edges of a succession of inclined boards or plates, which move on
axes at their back edges, and by springs or other means the edges whereon
the fibrous material is supported are constantly borne towards the beaters or
projecting ribs on the cylinder, in such manner that when the beaters or ribs
strike the fibrous material on the edges of the boards or plates, such edges
will give way, and allow the beaters or projecting ribs to pass, whon the edges
of the boards or plates will again move into position to be again and again
struck by the succeding beaters.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a plan; Figure 2, an end view; Figure 3, a longitudinal.
section; and Figure 4, the other end view. A, the plain cylinders, having
two spur wheels, the bottom one of which sets in motion the large one z",
which is imparted to the rubbing cylinders at D, ", Figure 1, with breadth
sufficient to adinit of the lateral motion, then the spur wheel being also
connected therewith, puts in motion the spur wheel, which should partake
of rather a slower motion than the plain cylinder A, so as not to pull or drag
the fibre. Q, fulcrum of lever L, see Figures 1 and 3, Q, Q, Q; L, lever,
see Figure 1, L, L". The two side pieces or frames, Figures 2 and 3, are
made fast and kept together by four rods and bolts at R, R¹, R" R¹¹¹; each
machine can have a separate stand, or several can be fixed on one long bench,
which by their united weight would add to steadiness. The rubbing rollers D
may have the surface so varied as to suit different textures of fibrous material.
The beaters are not confined to No. 4; there may be fewer and there may be
more. A, B, C, D, sliding bushes acted upon by springs, as at D, Figure 4, or
by vulcanized caoutchouc, or by pieces of pasteboard. W₁, W, W, worms
or screws acting on wheels of 14 teeth. x, wheel of 18 teeth, acted upon by

page_text: a three-threaded worm W; which cause the beaters to make 42 revolutions
whilst the cylinder A makes but one,. so that the fibre receives a blow at
every of an inch.. A, plain rollers pressed together by means of springs at
the axis, as shown D; Figure 4: B; vandyke-cut rollers, as shown at B,
Figure 3; C, undulated cut rollers, as shown at C, Figure 3; D; rollers; cut-
with right and left screws; so as to form a rough surface; similar to a coarse
file. They, are-made to rub each other in the direction of their axis by means
of' grooves 0¹; 0¹, acted upon. by levers L¹, L"; moving. in oblique grooves
0, 0, Figure 1, which impart a to-and-fro motion whilst. turning on their
axis,.and thus rub the flax during its passage. They are made to revolve on
their axis by means of spur wheels Z, Z", Z, Figures. 1 and 4. E; E;
beaters, see E,.E, E, E, Figure 3, they are. moveable on centres with
spiral springs S, S¹; S", S, attached thereto; Figures 1, 3, and beat the flax
with rapidity 'during the exit: F; cylinder with grooves, made to rotate slowly
by means of spur wheels 2, 21; 21, Figures 4 and 1. N.B:The beaters are
fixed on an axis, to one end of which are attached the driving: pullies P, P',
Figure 1, whilst the other end imparts motion to all the cylinders by means
of the worm W, Figures 1 and 2; acting on the wheel x, Figures 1 and 2, to
the shaft of which is attached a mitre wheel m, Figure 2, that acts on a
similar wheel m¹, Figures 2 and 1, connected to shaft with the three worms
W², W", W, Figure 2, which put in motion the cylinders A, B, C.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I make no claim to any of the mechanical parts
separately; but what I claim is the combination herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Hubert Desvignes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal; this Eleventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
S. CARPMAÈL.
PETER HUBERT DESVIGNES. (L.S.)